Josephine Garamella

of Toms River, NJ passed away peacefully at her home under hospice care on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Jo was born in Newark, NJ, the daughter of Alexander Cannella and Carmela Sedicino Cannella. She was a graduate of Bloomfield High School and a longtime resident of Bloomfield. To help put her kids through college, she worked part-time in the Admitting Office at Columbus Hospital in Newark, before retiring to Toms River in 1986.

She was married to the love of her life, Frank Garamella, of Belleville, on January 13, 1952, and they enjoyed 66 years of loving marriage together before Frank's passing in 2018.

Jo is survived by her son, Joseph Garamella of Brooklyn, NY and his husband Kevin Longobardi, and her daughter, Karen Garamella, of Chicago. She is also survived by her sister, Rosemarie Pettoni, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by sisters, Emily Izzi, Lillian Juliano, Jenny Rufolo, Edith Ficeto, and June Beresik and her brothers, Alexander, Orlando, Armando, Dante and Samuel Cannella.

Jo enjoyed spending time with her large Italian family. As one of twelve siblings, all of whom married and had children, there was always an occasion to celebrate. She and Frank spent many happy years as "snowbirds" at their condo in Hollywood, FL. Jo was an animal lover, too. She was proud "mom" to her spoiled toy poodle, Sheri, and later to her treasured toy Yorkshire terrier, Becca.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 26 Mule Rd., Toms River. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12 noon at St. Mary of the Lake RC Church, 43 Madison Ave., Lakewood, NJ. Interment will follow at Hollywood Memorial Park, 1500 Stuyvesant Ave., Union, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Josephine's name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital by visiting www.stjude.org