Josephine Margarita Cafaro

Josephine M. Cafaro Beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Josephine Cafaro, 96, of Riverview, Florida, passed away peacefully October 30, 2017 surrounded by loved ones. Josephine lived a life full of adventure, beginning with her arrival in New York from a small town in Calabria, Italy at the age of 17. Josephine started working immediately as a seamstress to help to support her family and quickly learned English. Affectionately known as “Jo” to friends and “Nonna” to her family, she was an ambitious business woman. Sensing better opportunities, she bravely moved to Florida and opened a grocery store with her sister Celeste. It was in Tampa that Jo met the love of her life, Anthony J. (“Tony”) Cafaro, Sr., and they married shortly after in 1947. Together Tony and Josephine raised three children, Catherine (“Stella”), Victoria, and Anthony. Tony and Josephine went on to own several other successful businesses together including the Ponderosa bar and beach concession stands. Despite the demands of her businesses, however, family was top priority. True to her Italian heritage, cooking from scratch and boisterous family dinners were big factors in her life, and the family often gathered at Tony and Josephine’s house on Sunday afternoon to share a meal and laughter. She was known for her special Italian cookies and homemade tomato sauces. Try as she might to teach her grandchildren, none mastered the art of the cookie. Josephine traveled extensively, working her way through Europe numerous times, visiting Asia, Australia, South America, and all over the United States, from gambling junkets to the serene beauty of Lake Tahoe. No matter where she ventured, she was proud to be an American, and to return back to her special home on the Alafia River. Josephine’s fiery, free-spirited personality shined through in many ways, from exercising until she was 89 years old to proudly driving the little red corvette she received for her 75th birthday. And she could always be found on the dance floor of any event in a sparkly dress with a big smile on her face. Above all else, Josephine cherished her family and the Lord and openly professed her love at all times. She was kind-hearted and quick to help others or to share advice. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Tony and her daughter Stella, and is survived by her children Victoria and Anthony; seven grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will be held at 11 am on January 13, 2018 at Compton Park, 16101 Compton Drive, Tampa, FL.