Josephine Peace "Josie" Spellmon

1940 - 2016

Danielson - Josephine "Josie" Peace Spellmon, of Cape Ave., found her well-deserved peace July 28, 2016.

She was born Nov. 11, 1940, in Queens, N.Y., the daughter of William and Aleta (Galloway) Kuusela. In 1948, her family moved to Haledon, N.J., and she met Peter Spellmon. They were married Nov. 11, 1959, in Pomfret.

Josie worked with handicapped children at the Mansfield Training School and as a nursing assistant at Windham Hospital. She later helped Peter by driving a mail truck as a contractor for the U.S. Postal Service. Health issues eventually caused her to stop working.

Josie turned her attention to helping children. She opened her home to foster children, especially those with learning disabilities. She patiently cared for and taught several children that needed a gentle, loving guide.

Josie loved animals and worked with QVAWS. She and Peter trapped dozens of feral cats and had them neutered or spayed. Kittens of the feral cats were caught, tamed, and provided new homes, several with the Spellmon family.

Cancer struck her twice. Both times she beat it. Though she was often in pain, she never complained. Her focus was always on her family and friends, not on herself. Eventually, the cumulative effect of cancer and other ailments took her away from her family.

Her world was your world, never rotating around her. She was a wife, mother, grandmother, and sister; she filled all those shoes and one more; a friend to anyone she touched. She loved her family, she loved helping others, and she was loved.

Josie leaves behind her husband, Peter of Danielson; her sons, Michael of Old Mystic, Gregory of Danielson, and Mark of Brooklyn; her daughter, Sherri Tetreault (Mark) of Minnesota; her sister, her "womb mate", Lillian Shafer (Willis) of Scotland; her brother, William of Lisbon; her grandson, Eric Tetreault of Minnesota; granddaughter, Melissa Tetreault of Minnesota; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, and sisters, Denise Kuusela and Aleta Hurtekant.

There will be no funeral service.

Donations in Josie's memory may be made to the NECT Cancer Fund of Day Kimball Hospital, PO Box 632, Putnam, CT 06260.