Josephine Rizzo

1926 - 2023

Josephine Rizzo, friend, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed to eternal life on October 9, 2023. Born to Lorenzo Falzone and Lorina Frangella, immigrants from Italy, April 12, 1926, in Brooklyn, NY. The family struggled during the depression, but enjoyed the many museums, libraries, beaches, and Bklyn. Dodger'sgames. She remembered fondly her time at Girls High in Bklyn (Lena Horne and Shirley Chisholm also attended). As a teenager she enjoyed going to the Pratt Institute Library, Coney Island (Nathan's hot dogs), Metropolitan Museum of Art and concerts (Frank Sinatra). While visiting relatives in Needham, MA, Josephine (Jo) met and fell in love with Salvatore (Sam) Rizzo. They married in November 1946 and had 3 loving children: Joanne, David and Michael (died at 2 yrs.old). Her focus was her children that shared fond memories of New Hampshire lake vacations, day trips to the beach, and Italian cooking. After Blizzard Larry (1978), they moved to Daytona, FL to begin a new adventure. They opened their home to friends and family, especially their grandchildren. Days were filled with her Brooklyn wisdom, love, laughter, excursions to the beach, and Italian food. After retiring, they spent summers in Granby with Joanne's family. After Sam passed in 1994, she moved to Stony Hill Village in Granby, closer to family. She enjoyed her friends in the Village, time spent at Granby Senior Center, Pilgrim Pines each summer, numerous activities with Joanne Desrosiers' family, and was especially fond of the pastors and members of Pilgrim Covenant Church. Proud of her Italian heritage (she spoke Italian fluently), her tour of Italy in 2000with Joanne was a lifelong dream. She was predeceased by son Michael, her husband Sam, brother Sal and his wife Ruth, and David's wife Carol. She is survived by her daughter Joanne and husband Ron, grandson Jaime, his wife Bich Nga and great-granddaughter Eleanor; grandson Kris and wife Risa; Josephine's son David, granddaughter Samantha and husband Jamie Duclos, and great-granddaughters Carolyn and Amelia; and David's former wife Kathy Clapp-Chaput. A memorial service will be held November 4, at 11AM at Granby Pilgrim Covenant Church, 605 Salmon Brook St., Granby, CT. In Lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Pilgrim Pines Conference Center or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. For online condolences, visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com