Obituary of Josephine Attianese
Josephine Attianese, aged 95, passed away peacefully on October 31, 2024, at CareOne in Bridgewater, New Jersey. Born on June 3, 1929, in Brooklyn, Josephine grew up on Long Island and later lived in various neighborhoods in Brooklyn where she was married in 1950. In 1963 her and her husband moved to the Graves End section of Brooklyn, where they raised their three children, and enjoyed many nights of sitting outside enjoying the company of their family and neighbors. In 1995, she moved to Green Brook to be closer to her family.
Josephine, an award-winning typist, worked in the billing department at Palmer Industries, a family-run shipping container repair company in Newark until she retired at the age of 80. A former member of St. Luke’s Church in North Plainfield, she was active in the Green Brook Senior Citizens group, where her lively personality shone through. She was always known to be the first to jump up to help out wherever needed. Josephine had a lifelong love for arts and crafts, from beading to needlepoint, and she was always up for a shopping adventure. With a memory like no other, she could tell you the price of every single thing she had ever bought. If she wasn’t out shopping you might find her watching Dr. Phil, Divorce Court, Judge Judy, reading Danielle Steele, or catching up on the phone with her friend Marie. Known for her New York grit and humor, she brought a warm, spirited presence to every gathering, and nothing mattered more to her than her family, her pets, and her holiday menus.
She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Michael, her son George, and her son-in-law, Sal. Josephine is survived by her loving daughter, JoAnn Pilo, her son Michael Attianese, his wife, Barbara Jane, and her daughter-in-law Mona. She also leaves behind five cherished grandchildren, Michelle, Bobby and his wife Amelia, Amanda, Michael, Christian, and his wife Nicole, as well as seven great-grandchildren: Ava, Maya, Joseph, Valentina, Gavin, Ellana, and Avery.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 3, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ. Funeral Services will begin on Monday, November 3 at 10 AM at Higgins Home For Funerals followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Dunellen.
In lieu of flowers, as Josephine would have preferred, memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in her memory. She firmly believed that the support for children in need was a better use of gifts, as she always wanted to make a difference.
Josephine’s love, laughter, and Brooklyn spirit will be dearly missed and forever remembered by her family and friends.
