Josephine D'Agostino, age 97, passed away peacefully at her apartment in Millbrook, NY on December 3, 2022. Josephine was born in Brooklyn, NY on June 18, 1925 to Giuseppe and Antonietta (née Bonsignore) Gioia. Growing up with her parents and two siblings during the Great Depression years imparted a life-long appreciation of the value of hard work, frugality and practicality. She first met her husband-to-be, Frank D'Agostino, while her family was considering moving to a property owned by his family. Several years later, while in college, their paths crossed again and thus began a life-long love affair. World War II intervened in their plans with Frank being called to duty in the military. They were married in 1945 while he was stationed in Abilene, Texas.
After his military service was completed, they moved to Memphis, Tennessee where Frank attended dental school. Jo put college graduation on hold and worked at the local telephone company to help put Frank through school. Following his graduation and postgraduate training, the couple returned to Brooklyn where Frank established his 41-year dental practice. Jo graduated from dental assistant school and they worked together in the earlier years of his practice, even while raising their three children. Always one to finish a project, she returned to college after the children were in school and completed her BA degree in Anthropology.
Several years later, Frank and Jo relocated from Brooklyn to Colts Neck NJ, where Frank commuted into the city for office hours. They relished the rural/suburban experience and remained in Colts Neck for nearly four decades. Always facile with numbers, in mid-life Jo decided to shift gears into income tax preparation and worked in that field for 40 years, retiring at age 90.
When the demands of tax season were over, she enjoyed travel with her husband, time with her family, cooking magnificent Italian dinners, her cats, knitting, vegetable gardening and occasional trips to Atlantic City. Following the death of her beloved Frank in 2016 after 71 years of marriage, she moved to Millbrook, NY to be closer to family.
She is survived by children Rosemary (Bob) and Gregory (Kana) of New York, Richard (Mary) of Massachusetts, granddaughters Jasmine (David) and Alexandra (Patrick) and her niece Annette (Frank). She was preceded in death by her husband and two siblings. We will all miss her sharp-eyed view of people and events and her loyalty and steadfast devotion to her family.
Services are private and under the direction of Thompson Memorial Home of Red Bank, NJ.
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