Obituary of Josephine M. Fitzsimmons
Josephine Margaret Fitzsimmons, age 103, passed away on Monday, January 2, 2023, at her home in Warren, NJ, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Oriental, NC, and raised with her 7 siblings in New Bern, NC, the proud home of Pepsi-Cola,
Josephine moved to New York City around 1950, after she was married. She later moved to Fords, NJ, in 1956, where she raised her family and resided there until the late 1980s before moving to Iselin. Finally, in 2017, Josephine moved to Warren.
Josephine was a devoted catholic and attended mass every Sunday with her son Patrick at the Christ the King RC Church in New Vernon. She was a former member of St. Cecelia’s RC Church in Iselin and Our Lady of Peace RC Church in Fords. Josephine was also a member of the Rosary Altar Society.
Early in her life, she enjoyed working with ceramics and loved music. In her later years, she learned to appreciate art. She was an avid reader and a founding member of the American Irish Association of Woodbridge, but most of all, she loved spending time with her family and caring friends.
She is predeceased by her seven siblings, Trudy, Rita, Gail, Connie, Michael, John, and Mildred.
Josephine is survived by her three children Anita Smith and her husband Robert, Maureen Strzykalski and her husband John, and son, Patrick Fitzsimmons; six grandchildren Colleen Sheehy (John), Robert Smith (Aurea), Christopher Smith (Casey), Ryan Smith, John Strzykalski (Alex), James Strzykalski; and eight great-grandchildren Megan, Maeve, and Fiona Sheehy, Robert, Teresa, Hannah, Henry, and Shaelen Smith.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 13, 2023, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung, NJ 07069. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at Christ the King Church in New Vernon, NJ, followed by the burial at Cloverleaf Cemetery in Woodbridge, NJ.
Memorial donations may be made in her loving memory to St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital.
