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FUNERAL HOME

Shook Funeral Home, Inc. - Clifton

639 Van Houten Avenue

Clifton, New Jersey

Josephine Dempsey Obituary

Josephine (Renzi) Dempsey

Clifton - Josephine (Renzi) Dempsey, "Joie", passed away peacefully in Clifton on March 20, 2020. She had the good fortune to live a full life before succumbing to the effects of a stroke. She is survived by four of five children: Diane, Michele, Lauren, Stephen John Jr. & his wife Diana, plus her grandchildren Stephen John III & Katherine. She was pre-deceased by her devoted husband of 50 years - Stephen John Dempsey Sr., and her beloved son Gregory.

Josephine was born & raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn NY, a proud daughter of immigrant parents from Naples, Italy. She attended high school then worked at AT&T in Manhattan for several years. After starting her family she committed herself to her children, and in 1961 the family relocated to River Edge.

She returned to the workplace after a 20 year hiatus. She advanced from part-time office clerk to full-time Purchasing Manager at Bergen Pines Hospital, having success there for many years. She & Stephen Sr. happily relocated to Boca Raton, FL for 15 years, & she resumed her Purchasing career for the City of Pompano. She retired to Monroe, later to Clifton.

Josephine was dedicated to her family which led her to numerous community & church activities. She loved baseball/softball, even managed her girls' teams, and she could score a game! She participated in religious, educational & social programs at St. Peter the Apostle in River Edge & the Newark Archdiocese Family Life Bureau. In retirement she regularly attended Mass & Events at St. Philip the Apostle in Clifton.

Her social & Civil Rights activism included renovation projects in Harlem & continuous involvement in politics. She served as Democratic committeewoman & worked on many Democratic campaigns & causes in River Edge, Bergen County & NJ state.

Josephine was smart, an excellent cook, a fashionista, loved music & loved to dance ("Lady is a Tramp"). Her Reason for Being was to pass on Life Lessons & Zest for Life to her children & grandchildren. Her most cherished role among the many she took on was as Mother/ Grandmother…A true Madonna.

Virtual Funeral Mass will be scheduled soon at St. Philip the Apostle Church, Clifton. Please contact Shook Funeral Home in Clifton for details: ShookFH.com, (973) 471-9620. You may also check with the parish: StPhilip.org, phone (973) 779-6200.

In lieu of flowers, donations made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org, would be greatly appreciated.

RIP Jo D.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Record/Herald News from Mar. 28 to Mar. 29, 2020.

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Shook Funeral Home, Inc. - Clifton

639 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013

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