Josephine M. Stradley, 97, beloved wife of the late James H. Stradley for 52 wonderful years, passed away on September 28, 2017. Josephine was born in Livermore Falls, ME on April 17, 1920 to the late Ernesto and Emma Mollicone.

Josephine was the eldest of six children born to Italian immigrants. At 18 years old, she traveled 30 miles to St. Mary’s Hospital to be trained as a Registered Nurse. After her schooling, she enlisted in the US Army in WWII and served as a lieutenant on the front lines as a surgical and trauma nurse. She met Jim, her husband, while in the Army and they married after three weeks. Josephine worked for Bridgeport Hospital in the OR for 10 years. At 42 years old, she returned to school to obtain her Master’s Degree for teaching. She moved to MA to work at Paul A. Dever State School for special needs children and because of her love and dedication, a wing of the school was named after her. She retired from that school after 30 years at the age of 70.

Because of her zest for life even in her older years, Josephine began taking ballroom dancing lessons with her granddaughter. Some of her other interests included crocheting, gardening, shopping, baking and card playing. She was a 20 year resident of Palm Beach Gardens, FL for 6 months out of the year. After retirement, Josephine and Jim took many trips, and some of her favorites included Italy, Ireland, Mexico, Russia and driving cross country.

Josephine leaves behind her children, Kelly (Joseph) Dellacroce and James (Gina) Stradley, Jr.; grandchildren, Lance (Jennifer) Dellacroce, Tyra (Jeffrey) Rabel, Brie (Jason) Pfannenbecker, James Reese Stradley and Samuel Stradley; great-grandchildren, Logan, Ava and Sofia Pfannenbecker, Gabriella, Gianna and Joseph Dellacroce, and Michael and Eliana Rabel; brother, Herbert Mollicone; nieces, Judy (David) Martell, Pamela (Craig) Trepaniere and Tanya (Gerard) Nadeau; and many great nieces and great nephews. Josephine was predeceased by her siblings, Yolanda (Oswald) Henry and Sylvia, Maria and Angela Mollicone; and her sister-in-law, Florence Mollicone.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 81 Center Rd., Woodbridge, CT. Burial will be at a later date. The family has been compassionately cared for by the Cody-White Funeral Home, 107 Broad St., Milford, CT.