Winifred "Wini" Joseph

Winifred Joseph (Wini), known by many as “the girl from Brooklyn,” lived a life of adventure, love and resilience. Dave and Charlie Joseph, her sons, remember her proudly as someone who embodied her Brooklyn roots wherever she went. Wini traveled and lived in many different places over the course of her 96 years, yet her heart was always rooted in the streets of Brooklyn.

Wini was born in Brooklyn, New York to Ruth and Jacob Brandfon, both accomplished lawyers. She was a beloved sister to William and Robert Brandfon. Wini married Edwin Joseph (Eddie), a career Army officer and schoolteacher, and together they shared a life-long journey of family, service, adventure and community devotion.

Professionally, after earning a Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology at Louisiana State University, Wini served as a school-based speech and language pathologist. Her commitment to helping others left a lasting impact and a former student fondly remembers her as “the best speech teacher in the world.” During her second career, she served as an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency.

Wini had a lifelong circle of friends – a handful dating back to kindergarten – who shared a unique bond. They were among those who filled her life with laughter and companionship. Those who knew Wini often remarked on her sense of humor, her charm and her ability to make people feel valued. As a devoted mother to her three sons, Paul, Dave and Charlie, she instilled in them her love for sports, and especially her passion for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Ebbets Field. She attended countless of her sons’ games, cheering them on as they played basketball, baseball and football.

Her story with Eddie began on a blind date, arranged by her brother, Bill, on a weekend furlough. She was charmed by his humor and sincerity, and he knew immediately that she was the one.

Wini loved meeting people from all walks of life, including celebrities. She cherished her serendipitous meetings with Gregory Peck, on whom she had a lifelong crush, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s mother. Wini also loved Broadway musicals and classical music, with a particular fondness for Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. She was a big Bing Crosby fan as well.

Wini believed strongly in social justice, racial equity and opportunity for all. She instilled these same values in her children. Throughout her life, Wini found strength and peace in her faith, family and friends. And she always found ways to laugh, to engage, and to live in the moment and cherish the present.

In her later years, when she and Eddie settled in Herndon, Virginia, Wini volunteered as a docent at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and taught English to Russian immigrants. When they later moved to the Fleet Landing retirement community in Atlantic Beach, Florida, Wini tutored elementary school children and organized numerous community activities for senior citizens.

Wini is predeceased by her beloved husband, Eddie, her dear son, Paul and her two brothers, William and Robert Brandfon. She is survived by her sons, Dave (Karen) and Charlie (Anne) Joseph, as well as grandchildren: Ben (Kate), Jeremy (Megan), Michelle (Nolan), Sarah (Charlie), Jack (VeeVee), Caroline (Jason), Maggie, Ruth and Kate, and great-grandchildren: Miles, Elle, Henry and Olive. They all adored her and will forever cherish the many memories of her love, strength and humor. Her legacy lives on through her family, friends and all those whose lives she touched.

To honor Wini, her family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach, Florida. For any questions, please contact Kathy DeSiena, Director of Charitable Gifts ([email protected]).