Josephine Rose Root

1930 - 2025

Waterford - Josephine Rose Root, age 94, passed away Oct. 3, 2025 at Bright View Assisted Living Center, Danvers, Mass. A native of New London, she was born Oct. 26, 1930. She was the daughter of late Vincenzo and Vincenza DiMaggio.

Josephine graduated from the former Williams Memorial Institute (WMI) in 1948. She was employed by various agencies and placed at the Underwater Sound Lab after graduation. She also worked at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital-payroll, State of CT Unemployment Office, and finally East Lyme Middle School as attendance clerk. She retired from EL after 13 years, finding it her most rewarding position.

Joie, as she liked to be called, was a loving and devoted wife, having been married to her beloved husband, Arthur, for 74 years. Her greatest joys were her two granddaughters and three great-grandsons. She will be deeply missed by her loving family.

She is survived by her son Thomas and wife Leah of Beverly, Mass.; her granddaughters, Leah (Root) Carlin and husband Patrick Carlin and Stephanie (Root) Herbster; and three great-grandsons, Thomas Carlin, Jacob Herbster and Andrew Herbster. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Darlene (Arnold) Young, Eric and Elizabeth Arnold; sister-in-law Claire DiMaggio; and nieces, Annette (DiMaggio) Morris and husband Timothy Morris and Nancy DiMaggio; and grand-nieces, Lauren (Arnold) Reyes and Jessica Taylor and husband Andy; grand-nephews, Stephen Arnold, Ryan Arnold, Adam Arnold and Timothy Castanza and his wife Michele. She was predeceased by her son Stephen Arthur Root; and brothers, Thomas F. DiMaggio and Francisco DiMaggio; by her sister Grace (DiMaggio) Arnold and brother-in-Law, Harry Arnold; and most recently, by her husband Arthur O. Root..

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Oct. 11, at St. Mathias Church in East Lyme, followed by burial at St. Mary's Cemetery in New London. There are no calling hours. The Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 48 Grand Street, Niantic, is assisting the family with the arrangements. Donations in her name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.