Josephine A. Panzeca, known lovingly to all as Jo, passed away peacefully on May 23, 2026, in Northport, New York, following complications from Parkinson's disease. She was 85 years old. While her family grieves the loss of a woman who truly was the heart of every room she entered, they also celebrate a life lived with boundless energy, generosity, and love.

Jo was born on August 5, 1940, in the Bronx, New York, to John and Mary LoFranco, both of whom preceded her in death. She grew up in the Bronx and graduated from Evander Child High School before heading into the working world with the kind of determination that would define the rest of her life. She landed a position at Redbook in New York City, where she worked for several years before welcoming her first child, her daughter JeanMarie in 1971.  Shortly after JeanMarie's arrival, Jo and her husband Anthony made the move to Long Island, purchasing their first home in Northport. It was there that their family grew with the birth of their son, Christopher John, in 1973.

Jo was a proud wife, mother, and homemaker during the early years of her children's lives. While home with the children, she sold Avon for many years and had long time customers, some even became friends. Jo made friends wherever she was in life. When the time was right, she returned to the workforce, taking on various secretarial positions while never missing a beat at home. And that was the thing about Jo: she never seemed to tire. People often marveled at how she managed to do it all. She cooked, she cleaned, she held down a job, she cared for her aging parents, and she still had time and energy left over for anyone who needed her. She was the Energizer Bunny, always smiling, always full of life, always in motion.

Her kitchen was legendary. People still talk about her orzo salad, which was the undisputed star of every party and family gathering. Her homemade sauce and meatballs, her various quiches, and her pistachio cake were the stuff of family lore. Beyond cooking, Jo had a creative spirit that found expression in ceramics, sewing, and gardening. She crafted beautiful ceramic pieces that she either displayed proudly in her home or gave away as gifts, because giving was simply in her nature.

"Go Yankees" was something that you would hear often from Jo's living room.  Growing up in the Bronx, her father took Sally and her to many Yankee games, where her passion for baseball began.  Jo and Anthony shared a love of travel, and some of their happiest memories were made on their trips to Europe, visiting Italy and Germany several times. Jo was also a deeply proud grandmother to Alexa, JeanMarie's daughter. She was closely involved in Alexa's upbringing, and her devotion only deepened after JeanMarie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Jo stepped in with the quiet, unwavering strength that her family had always counted on.

She would do anything for anybody, whether it was a neighbor, a friend, a coworker, or a family member. There was simply no one in need that Jo would turn away from. Her generosity was as natural to her as breathing.

Jo was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Anthony Panzeca, and her parents, John and Mary LoFranco. She is survived by her daughter, JeanMarie Panzeca; her son, Christopher John Panzeca; her granddaughter, Alexa; and her sister, Sally Farrar.

Jo's deep and abiding Christian faith was a cornerstone of her life, and her family takes great comfort in knowing she is now at peace in the arms of the Lord, reunited with Anthony and her parents.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, May 29, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Centerport, New York. Burial will follow at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Farmingdale, New York. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in Jo's memory.