Josephine Pfeifer

Josephine was born in San Jose to Joseph and Mary Turturici. Josephine’s father and her Uncle Phil bought a ranch in Coyote when she was a small child where she lived until she was married. She attended Encinal Elementary School and Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill.

Josephine had two sisters, Leanore MacLellan and Marie Turturici and a brother Sal Turturici. After attending Heald Business College she worked as a bookkeeper at a local jeweler and then at Levi Strauss Company.

Josephine loved to dance! During the war she met a handsome sailor (Frank) at a dance at the San Jose Civic Auditorium. They quickly fell in love and were married just after the war. They had two children, Kathleen (Zachary) Schroeder and Steve (Barbara) Pfeifer. Jo loved being a grandmother to Frank (Susan), Anne-Marie (David) Peterson and Jason (Elizabeth).

They eventually welcomed 10 grandchildren, Ana (Cameron) Garlock, Ryan (Dani), Nick (Doan), Andrew, David, Mary, Charlie, Zachary (Fabi), Joe and Matthew, and two great-grandchildren, Joelle and Nathan, who were always greeted with hugs and kisses at the kitchen door. In addition to family, Jo and Frank had many friends and loved to play cards and enjoyed several trips a year to Lake Tahoe and Reno casinos.

Grandma Jo’s cookies were the best!

There will be a funeral mass for Josephine on 09.16.2023 at 10AM at St. Martin of Tours Church at 200 O'Connor Drive, San Jose, CA 95128.

Donations can be made to

Santa Teresa Church-Homeless Ministry or www.ThriftBox.org for Lucille Packard Foundation for Children’s Health