Josie entered eternal rest on May 13, 2019.
Josie came to this country on the Andrea Doria, which was hit and sunk by a Norwegian freighter just outside of New York City. From this humble beginning in the USA, this future entrepreneur started as a cashier at the Swiss Chalet restaurant in Buffalo NY where she quickly overcame the language barrier with terms such as dime, nickel and quarter and always bragged that the register was never over or under at the end of each night. She went on to own three restaurants in the Buffalo area, The Casa Di Amici in Clarence NY, The Crystal Inn in Arcade, and the well-known Josie’s Nicholsbrook and Brookside Motel in Chaffee NY. She also owned three restaurants in Florida, Josie’s Pizza and Italian Restaurant in Jupiter, Josie’s Pizza and Wings in Orlando and Josie’s Ristorante in Boynton Beach, which still bears her name. In between operating the restaurants this dedicated, tireless woman worked as a timeshare manager, as a manager at the Marco Polo Hotel in Miami, and was a dietician at the Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach. Her final business venture was owning two Massage Envy Franchises in Royal Palm and Wellington, Florida.
She is survived by her loving husband, Bob; four sons, Kevin (Christina), David (Donna), Jerome (April) and Michael (Jennifer); a step daughter, Roberta; two brothers, Angelo (Gemma) Ceccarelli and Tony (Debra) Ceccarelli; 11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; as well as many friends too numerous to mention. Closest of her friends were Ada Artenis and Patty Higgins, who cared for her in her final days and hours.
She is predeceased by a sister, Giovanninna and her first husband, Jerome Kern Sr.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2019 from 4pm to 8pm at Aycock-Riverside Funeral and Cremation Center, 1112 Military Trail, Jupiter, FL 33458. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at 11am at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 13591 Prosperity Farms Rd, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. Burial will follow at Riverside Memorial Park in Tequesta. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to St Jude Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
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