Josephine Benedicto
From Eliafamily
Contents |
Josephine Ocello Benedicto
| Josephine Benedicto | |
|---|---|
| |
| Fact File | |
| Birth Date: | May 9, 1929 |
| Family Information | |
| Lineage: | Angela Ocello Lineage |
| Parent: | Angela Ocello |
| Siblings: | Francesco Ocello Marie Barbarossa |
| Children: | Frances Reitano Michael Benedicto |
Josephine Ocello was born on May 9, 1929 in Norwich, NY, to Michele and Angela Ocello. She graduated in 1947 from Norwich High School and then got her RN degree from the Flower Fifth Avenue School of Nursing in New York City. During a psychiatric rotation for nurses training in Middletown, NY, she met Frank Benedetto who was a seaman in the United States Navy. They began to date and correspond when he was at sea, and they married on July 14, 1951, at St. Bartholomew's Church in Norwich.
On March 26, 1952, Peppy gave birth to her first daughter, Frances Anne. Her son Michael was born two years later. Because she shared her mother's house with her sister Marie, she became like a second mother to her four neices (Angela, Michele, Debra, and Mary Jo). Her sister did not drive, so Peppy would often take her neices to Utica, Syracuse, or Binghamton whenever the girls wanted to go.
Josephine, or Peppy as she was known to her family, worked for several years at Chenango Memorial Hospital and then for local doctors. Later she became a nurse and then supervisor at Chenango County Social Services. In 1984, a disgruntled man and woman took several persons hostage at the Social Services building, and Peppy was one of the hostages. The armed stand off lasted for hours, but fortunately no one was physically injured. She retired from the job in 1992.
Peppy enjoyed knitting and reading novels, but her greatest passion was cooking. She had a tremendous collection of cookbooks, mostly Italian cooking, and could read them like someone might read a magazine or novel. The downstairs apartment at 22 Griffin St., her home, became the gathering place for many family meals and special occasions.
The extended family often looked to Aunt Peppy for support. Many of her generation called her "Aunt Peppy" rather than cousin, not only because she and Marie were the oldest of that generation but also because of her strength and family loyalty. She needed this strength herself as her husband battled (and beat) cancer through much of the 1990s, and as she herself was diagnosed with a form of muscular dystrophy late in that decade. While her disease certainly became a challenge after the 90s ended, her family would never hear a word of complaint or self-pity. She passed away peacefully in the early hours of February 4, 2001. She will be sorely missed.
Frank John Benedicto (Benedetto)
Frank was born on October 30, 1926 in Goshen, N.Y. to Viola (Turri) and Frank Benedetto. After 2 years in high school, Frank quit and worked for a year in a restaurant until he turned 17 when he enlisted in the Navy in 1943. By his own account, he was a hell-raiser in his youth and was known to the local law-enforcement officials. He went through basic training in Sampson, N.Y. and then attended cooking/baking school in Dearborn, Michigan. He then spent time in Norfolk, Va. training on a ship. After training, he went to Galveston, TX to pick up a ship and spent 1944 and 1945 on LSM 58 in the Pacific. He visited the islands of Honolulu, Guam, Saipan, Anewetok, Phillipines, Mindinao, Panne, Luzon, and New Guinea among others before going to Japan in 1945. He was there at the end of the war.
Frank went back to the U.S. to San Diego and Portland where he took a 5 day train ride back to New York State. He also visited Cuba during his time after the war. In 1948 he met Josephine Ocello, while on leave in Middletown. They corresponded and saw each other when they could and got married in 1951. They lived in Pax River, MD, Jacksonville, FL, and Norwich, Connecticut while in the service. He had a chance to visit several other countries during this time including, Gibraltar, Barcelona, Naples, Genoa, Messina, Athens, Turkey, Suez Canal, Arabia, Algiers, Oran, Libya, Scotland, Iceland and Nova Scotia on training exercises. In 1963 he retired from the Navy and worked for Victory Markets in Norwich for 23 years as a meat cutter. He retired in 1988.
He has always loved baseball, playing often with his friends while on shore leave. His favorite team is the NY Yankees. He likes to watch the Giants and Notre Dame Football. He still cuts meat during deer season for a friend, and frequents OTB daily, betting on his favorite horses. Frank completed his GED in the Navy. When he enlisted in the Navy, a typographical error listed his name as Benedicto and later he decided to make that his legal name.
Synopsis of Dates
- Peppy's Birthday: May 9, 1929
- Frank's Birthday: October 30, 1926
- Wedding Anniversary: July 14, 1951
- Peppy's Death: February 4, 2001
- Frank's Death: Nobember 12, 2006
Recipes
External Links
- Photo Gallery - The gallery hosted by Yahoo! Photos.
