Josephine Mary Sampson

Josephine was born on December 18, 1925 in Brooklyn, New York to her parents Joseph and Almaz Abalan.  At the age of 18 she worked as a seamstress in New York City.  Shortly after, she met and married her husband, a Navy Lieutenant, at the age of 19.  After their third of seven children, they bought their family home in Levittown, New York.  After 16 years of raising her family, she went back into the workforce, managing a movie theatre in Levittown.  When her husband passed in 1985, she moved to Boca Raton, Florida to be near some of her children and went right to work in child care at the YMCA.  She was always an active member of St. Jude Catholic Church, not just as a devout attendee but she also ran a women’s group and volunteered in the gift shop. 

She enjoyed her work and community involvement, but the accomplishment that she was proudest of was the large family that she built.  Not only with her children and the grandchildren she helped raise, but also her friends, her children’s friends, neighbors, and so many more people all became family to Josephine. 

She was such a beautiful soul, and brought a smile to everyone's face who met her.  She was full of beauty and grace, and throughout her 90 years on this earth she inspired all of us with her incredible strength and capacity to love.

Josephine is survived by son Bill (Kathleen) Sampson; daughter Suzanne Horner; son John Sampson; nine grandchildren:  Jennifer, Bridget, Jessica, Chrissy, Nicole, Gabrielle, Mark, Christopher, and Danielle as well as seven great-grandchildren.

Josephine was greeted at the gates of heaven by her husband William; her sons Bobby and Thomas; daughter Ruth Gabriel and grandson Adam Aftab.    

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12 noon on Saturday, October 1st at St. Jude Catholic Church, Boca Raton.

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