Josephine A. Pompili

Josephine Pompili
Rochester, New York

Josephine passed away peacefully on September 30, 2026. Doctors could not point to anything specific, which is just like her. Lived life on her own terms, and carried the same with her during her transition to heaven. Her heart continued to beat for ten minutes after she stopped breathing, and that is a true testament to the strength of her.

Born Giuseppina Ann Troiano in January 1929 to her parents, Mary Giusti and Nick Troiano, Josephine was one of five siblings—Joe, Teresa, Silvio, Genevive, and Junior (Nick)—all of whom she outlived. Growing up, Josephine loved music. She sang in the church choir on Christmas Eve in 8th grade at St. Bridget’s church. She would stand on a kitchen chair and put her head next to the radio, which was on top of the icebox, so she could hear Frank Sinatra croon. She carried that love of music into her adult years, singing songs around the house while her kids and grandkids were growing up—songs like Three Little Fishes in a Little Bitty Pool and Chattanooga Choo Choo; anything she could dance to. Well into her 80s and even early 90s with her walker, Josephine would sway to Sinatra whenever his music came on.

Josephine was engaged by the age of 16 to a man long-lost in the folklore of the family. Because what happened was, the day she went into work at Bond’s Clothing Store without that ring on after the two of them broke up, Sam Pompili asked her out on a date. Josephine would’ve told you that, “He almost never talked. But as soon as I had that ring off my finger, Sam asked me out.” And the rest, as they say, is history. They married in a snowstorm on one of the last days of January 1948, and Josephine would forever lament that her anniversary always fell around the Superbowl. The pair took the train to New York City for their honeymoon, where they saw a show at Radio City Music Hall.

Sam and Jo, as they were known, raised four kids—Barbara, Butch, Paul, and Gary—in the city of Rochester and then in the suburbs of Greece on Harvest Drive. Her sister soon followed to the house across the street, and between the two of them they had nine kids and teens running up and down the then-quiet roads of Greece. Along with raising four kids, Josephine fostered babies. Fostering was a pride-and-joy for her, and she talked about it for as long as her memory would allow.

To hear Josephine speak of her husband and her family, you knew she loved it. And you knew the parts she didn’t love because she’d tell it to you straight. She was a fiercely independent, strong-willed woman. She learned to drive on her own because nobody would teach her, and after she failed her driver’s test for the fourth or fifth time—thanks to a bread truck and the street lights transitioning from being on the side of the street to above the street—she decided she’d just drive without a license. “I was doing it already, anyway!” she’d say. (She did eventually have a license, though!)

Josephine was the kind of caretaker that cared for her family and buzzed around without needing a thank-you; she just did what needed to be done. Sam would praise her for keeping the kids quiet while he slept during the day because of working the night shift, and helping take care of his mom before she died. And, if someone, say, mentioned they wanted a little more mustard in their sandwich for lunch, she’d stop making that sandwich and expect that person to make it from then on. She had hard lines, teaching her children and grandchildren self-respect, trust in the self, and knowing one’s worth. She grew up in extreme poverty and always remembered those times—often speaking of the cockroaches in her family’s apartments. But you’d never know that by the way she and Sam lived—especially in their retirement years. Generously, wisely, lovingly.

Josephine loved sunshine, coffee, the daily Jumble, the beach, drawing animals, noise-makers, Golden Girls, sugar (even though she was a diabetic), reality TV, her grandchildren, holidays with her family, sleepovers with her grandkids, and laughing. She laughed so easily.

Aside from a few stints in the hospital, Sam and Josephine did not spend any nights apart. They were quiet about their love, but it was steady, consistent, evident, and full of action day in and day out, for every one of the 58 years they were married. She spoke fondly of him in the nineteen years between his passing and hers. When they weren’t home making dinner (Sam) or doing the Jumble (Jo), they went all around town together—Lilac Fest, grandkids’ concerts and sports games, an annual Italian festival, and more. They opened their doors to anyone who needed a place to stay, whether that be a place to live, a bed while they were in town, surgery recovery, or coming home after wandering away for a while.

After Sam passed away, the first thing she did was buy herself a new television. She joined a Dominos club, kept reading novels, and she traveled to Savannah, Georgia, North Carolina twice, Virginia, and New York City several times—sometimes by bus, sometimes by train, sometimes by car, but never by plane. When her grandkids or sons called her from hundreds of miles away, she’d marvel at their ability to call from such a distance. And if you called her too many days in a row, she’d say, “We just talked!” But she’d stay on the phone, always ready to listen and chat.

Josephine never lost her sense of humor. She took so many things in stride, and always advised the younger generations to never get old and to keep laughing.

Josephine was a woman whose long-lasting heart beat stubborn, strong, fierce, and true. She was an anchor for her family, and she will be forever missed.

Josephine is predeceased by her husband Sam; her son Butch; her daughter-in-law Bonnie; her sisters Genevieve and Teresa (Dominic); her brothers Silvio (Jenny), Nick Jr. (Arlene), Anthony, and Joe; and her brother-in-law Fred; her sisters-in-law Clementine, Reg (Bill), and Ann.

Josephine is survived by her sisters-in-law Marilyn (Joe), Diane, Claudia (Anthony), and Marlene (Fred); daughter Barb (Ray); sons Paul (Linda) and Gary; grandchildren Kevin, Bryan (Missy), Andrea, Missy (Sergio), Eli, Joe (Jill), Elisa (Greg), and Mike (Erika); great-grandchildren (11), and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Family will receive friends at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 2636 Ridgeway Ave. Calling hours will be 3-7 p.m., Friday, October 9, 2026. The funeral will be Saturday, Oct. 10, at 10:30 a.m., also at New Comer Cremations & Funerals. A gravesite service will immediately follow at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, friends and family may consider giving to one of the following organizations in Josephine’s honor:

Verona Street Animal Shelter: https://www.vsas.org/donate/

Families Thrive: https://familiesthriveinc.org/about/donate/

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