Josephine Mellina

Josephine Mellina, a longtime Greenburgh resident, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on September 26, 2023. She was 98 years old. Born in New York City, she was the youngest of four children. Her family later moved to the Bronx, considered the country at the time, where her father, a builder, constructed the house in which she was raised.

Upon graduating from Washington Irving High School in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, Josephine began a career as a seamstress in the Garment District. She married Thomas Mellina and later became a homemaker. They were devoted to each other for 47 years until his death in 2002 after a long illness.

Adroit at sewing, she created many of her own clothes, reupholstered furniture, and easily transformed any fabric into pillows and curtains amongst other things. An avid gardener, she loved to cook and enjoyed experimenting with new recipes involving vegetables which she cultivated and harvested. Her specialties were homemade eggplant rollatini and manicotti.

Having lived during the Great Depression and World War II greatly influenced her upbringing. She began practicing and advocating "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" long before it became a popular slogan. Josephine upheld many cherished traditions. Gathering with family every Sunday afternoon for a robust meal was predominant. Classic movies, arts and crafts and following national and local politics were some of her strong interests. She was proud to never miss an election.

Josephine, a beloved matriarch, will be remembered for her unwavering love of family; her humility and goodness in practicing the golden rule "to treat people the way you wish to be treated". She is survived by one son, Carl, and three daughters, Vera (James), Camille (Joseph) and Regina; five grandchildren, Robert (Priscilla), Carla (Cesar), Lauren, Joseph, and Thomas; and two great-grandchildren, Luca and Nathan. Donations in memory of Josephine may be made to Wheelitforwardusa.org, 48 Union St., Stamford, CT 06906 or to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org.

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