Josephine Smith

Josephine Mona Smith, 86, of Pelham Manor, NY, most recently Uxbridge, MA, passed away peacefully at Beaumont of Northborough in the early morning hours of October 13, 2024.

Josephine was born in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan, NY, the daughter of Nora Dolphin and Martin Killilea who were originally from Galway, Ireland. Josephine was predeceased by her husband of 28 years, Michael J Smith Jr, her brother John (Jackie) Killilea, and her sister Nora Killilea. She is survived by her daughter Claire Frank and her partner Bryan Gareau and his children, all who reside in Uxbridge; her sisters Sheila Davis of Boca Raton, Florida; Claire Coakley and brother-in-law Robert Coakley of Cranford, NJ; nieces and nephews and their families.

Josephine lived for nearly 50 years in Pelham Manor/Mount Vernon, NY prior to relocating to Massachusetts to be closer to Claire. She attended two years of Nursing School and spent seven years as a Sister of the Presentation before becoming a New York City school teacher for elementary, kindergarten, and pre-K students. In retirement, Josephine taught CCD at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church as well as English as a Second Language (ESL) at the Learning Center in New Rochelle, NY, and she was the primary caregiver for her husband Michael and her sister Nora until they passed, true to her nursing roots. She loved her dogs Foxy and Blackberry.

Arrangements in Massachusetts, which are private, are under the care of Hays Funeral Home, 56 Main St, Northborough, MA 01532. Condolences and words of kindness may be shared at www.HaysFuneralHome.com .

Family and friends are invited to meet at Our Lady of Perpetual Health Church, 559 Pelham Manor Rd, Pelham, NY 10803in Pelham Manor, NY on Thursday, October 17th, at 10 a.m. where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Burial will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY. There will be a luncheon afterward at The Cabin Restaurant, 1172 Knollwood Road, White Plains, NY 10603, which all are welcome to attend. 

 All services in New York will be under the direction of Pelham Funeral Home, 64 Lincoln Ave, Pelham, NY 10803 www.Pelhamfuneral.com 

In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests that memorial donations be directed to the Alzheimer's Association www.alz.org .