Josephine Vannelli

Josephine (Cappuccilli) Vannelli passed away peacefully on  January 15, 2024, surrounded by her family at home, in Pelham, New York. She was 90 years old.

 Josephine was born on  March 18, 1933, in Ripabottoni, Italy, to Celestino and Angelina (Campolieto) Cappuccilli. She married Leonardo Vannelli in 1955. She gave birth to her first two daughters, Assunta and Angela, in Ripabottoni, before she and her husband moved their family to America, where their third daughter, Carmela, was born. Josephine and Leonardo first moved to Mount Vernon, New York, staying with her parents briefly before buying a home and settling in Pelham, New York, where they raised their family.

Josephine was an accomplished seamstress by trade, following in her mother’s footsteps. She was a proud member of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU). She would also craft beautiful dresses for herself and her daughters.

She retired in 1993, helping to raise her three grandchildren, Adam, Carli, and Yasmina. Her grandchildren adored spending time at her house after school, and she rarely missed a school concert, little league game, or graduation.

Josephine was a beloved member of her local community in the Village of Pelham, a long-time parishioner at Saint Catharine’s, and an active member of the Pelham Seniors, where she used to play pokeno with her friends on Friday afternoons and participate in day trips to Atlantic City.

Josephine was very proud to be an American, singing God Bless America, one of her favorite songs, at any chance she could get, like during the seventh inning of Yankee games.

Josephine loved to cook for her family, from regular pasta dinners on Sundays, to plates of her famous almond biscotti for parties, and fresh ravioli and tiramisu every Christmas, a passion that she passed down to her daughters and grandchildren. Even when she handed off the baton to her family to take over cooking her traditional meals, she would always keep a watchful eye, ready to offer a helpful tip or suggestion.

Josephine sadly lost her husband, Leonardo, in August 2023. They were married for 68 years. They spent their entire lives together, growing up in the same small town and attending the same school before falling in love and marrying at the age of 22. You couldn’t say Josephine without talking about Lenny, too. They were beloved not only by their family but by their Pelham community too.

 Josephine is survived by her three daughters, Assunta, Angela, and Carmela (Peter Reichl), and her three grandchildren, Adam, Carli, and Yasmina.

A celebration of Josephine’s life will be held at Pelham Funeral Home on Wednesday, January 17th, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at St. Catharine’s Roman Catholic Church on Thursday, January 18th, at 10:00 AM, with interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.