Katherine Boccagno

Services TODAY 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Katherine M. Boccagno died peacefully at the home of her son, Phillip, on Thursday morning, June 6, due to metastatic colon cancer.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Major Joseph Boccagno, in November of 2012.

Born in Yokohama, Japan on January 10, 1925 as Kazue Yamamoto, she was the daughter of the late Tosho and Fuji Suzuki Yamamoto.

As the eldest daughter, she would gather her siblings and seek protection in a cave across from her home during the repeated Allied bombings of Yokohama. An older brother was missing in action during the battle for Saipan.

She was educated in Japan and was tutored in England, where she was employed at the Camp Zama Japan PX, where she met her future husband, Private Joseph.

She resided in Germany, Kansas, Massachusetts, and settled in Reading, Pennsylvania. A diligent mother, she enjoyed gardening, crocheting, ceramics, shopping, social clubs and was particularly known for her Christmas cookies and mouth-watering sushi.

As a dedicated homemaker, she raised five boys, at times alone, while her husband was stationed abroad.

She is survived by five sons: Joseph; Daniel and wife Shenni, Washington DC; Frank and wife Barbara, Ephrata; Dr. Phillip and wife Mary Ann, Clarks Summit, PA and Steve, Phoenix, AZ, as well as nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

She was a member of the Roman Catholic Church after converting from the

Shinto faith upon her marriage and attended Holy Guardian Angels RC Church, Laureldale.

The family would like to extend thanks to all the aides and staff at the At Home Quality Care, the staff at Ascera Care Hospice and especially to Martha Derhammer, who provided companionship and solace during her declining health.

Friends are invited to call Sunday (TODAY) from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the John P. Feeney Funeral Home. Religious services will follow at 3 p.m. Interment will be Monday at 9:30 a.m. at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville. Friends are also invited to gather from 8:15 to 8:30 a.m. for the funeral procession to the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the VVA, Chapter 131, PO Box 13735, Reading, PA 19612-3735.

Arrangements entrusted to the John P. Feeney Funeral Home, in Reading's Centre Park Historic District, 625 N. 4th St. at Centre Ave., Reading, PA 19601. Obituary, directions and condolences at www.johnfeeneyfuneralhome.com.