Josephine Grace Balestrieri

After 92 years of devotion to her faith, family, and friends, Josephine Grace Balestrieri passed quietly with rosary in hand, at her home surrounded by her loving children. Her life was one of faith filled service to all. She was preceded in death by her Sicilian immigrant parents Pietro and Giuseppa Bozzo. Likewise, she was preceded in death by her sisters Rose Ludwig and Catherine Tripoli, plus brothers Vincent (Jim) Bozzo, Vito Bozzo and Phil Bartel. Shortly after graduating from San Diego High School where she was a marching majorette, she married Thomas (Tom) A. Balestrieri on October 23, 1949. Together, they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1999, only to suffer the passing of her beloved husband on March 14, 2000. Their lifelong love affair began when Josephine was a mere 10 years old, her family relocating from St. Louis, MO, and moved next door to the Balestrieri family home. She knew it was love at first sight when leaning out of her bedroom window to steal fruit from the Balestrieri’s loquat tree, her beloved Tom was there to squirt her with a garden hose!

They raised three children, CAPT Thomas M. Balestrieri, MSC, USN (Ret.), wife Joyce Fortis (Jodi), sons Nicholas F. and Thomas A. (Tony), wife Rachel; Monica Ann Balestrieri, sons Thomas A. Little, wife Katey, and Joseph K. Little, wife Ari, Step-daughter Christina Little Martinez, husband Tony; and Bernadette Marie Balestrieri-Martinez, husband James (Jim), daughter Lauren Martinez Davies, husband Adam, and sons Mathew J., wife Hayley, and Andrew J. Martinez. Josephine also leaves behind 6 great grandchildren, Bennett Grace and Adele Josephine Balestrieri, Benjamin Peter Davies, Luca Donovan Martinez, CJ and Elyssia Martinez.

Josephine was a lifelong professional secretary always in the service of others. She worked at Convair/General Dynamics from 1950-60 where a group of transplanted Texan engineers gave her the nickname “Jody”. Later, she was the executive secretary to a WWII naval aviator turned biographer who exclusively wrote about his fellow fighter aces. Subsequently, she spent nearly 25 years as the parish secretary at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. And throughout all this, she was the consummate volunteer at her children’s schools as a producer of talent shows, coordinator for fund raising, and leading several cheerleading squads.

As a child in St. Louis, she regularly sang on a local radio station, later performed in her high school musical productions, and even sang and danced for local military personnel as part of a USO troupe. She sang Shubert’s Ave Maria at countless weddings over the years and shortly after her husband passed, Josephine began a 20 year love affair as a member of the Southwestern College Concert Choir. With the choir, she would travel both locally and globally to perform at such venues as the Sydney Opera House, the Notre Dame Cathedral, multiple Italian basilicas, and Carnegie Hall (twice).

Her home was a perpetual place of comfort and hospitality. She was never happier than when her children, family and friends were gathered around her dining room table. Mastering the theater of the kitchen, she kept her guests thoroughly entertained, fully satiated at table, and everyone went home with a hug and a plastic container or two. From politicians, bishops, a Hollywood director, WWII and Vietnam war heroes, to those needing a place of nonjudgmental refuge, Josephine stood ready to serve others. Everyone who entered her home was treated with love, respect, and above all dignity. These were the lessons she would teach her children and grandchildren. She never quoted scripture, but her life was a perpetual example of how to live the message of the gospels. Her faith was her foundation, and it would shape the lives of all who lived under her roof, visited her home, or had any professional associations with her. She was a Eucharistic Minister, lector, and religious education teacher as a member of her St. Rose of Lima parish. Josephine dedicated more than 53 years of her life as a member of the Italian Catholic Federation (ICF). She was a charter member of Branch 229, holding multiple leadership roles at the local and district levels, and ultimately as a member of the ICF Central Council. Devoted to the church of her youth, Josephine was also instrumental in establishing the Amici Ball Committee to assure funds were raised for the preservation of the many artistic and religious treasures at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in San Diego’s Little Italy. After more than a half century of service to numerous organizations, she helped raise countless amounts of funds to support the poor, local seminarians, and many other worthy causes. In 1985, Pope John Paul II bestowed upon her the papal honor Pro Eclessia et Pontifice in recognition of her lifelong service to the Diocese of San Diego. Her 92 years among us were nothing short of the quintessential master class in faith, kindness, and generosity. She will be missed by many and forever loved by her family and friends.

Visitation and recitation of the Rosary will be Friday, September 29th at 6:30 PM at Funeraria Del Angel, 753 Broadway, Chula Vista (formerly Humphrey’s Mortuary), (619.425.9111). Funeral mass will be held on Saturday, September 30th at 10:00 AM at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church located at 293 H Street, Chula Vista (619.427.0230). Interment will be a private family event at Greenwood Memorial Park the following week. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that contributions be made to Sharp HospiceCare at sharp.com/inmemoryof, and/or the Sister Dolores Molina Social Outreach Program at strosecv.weconnect.com – Click on “Donate” – Make your donation at the box marked “Social Outreach Mamma Dee”.