Josephine Sacco Mathes

Josephine Sacco Mathes, 89, passed away peacefully at her home on Easter Sunday morning, April 21, 2019. Josie was born in New Orleans on June 28, 1929 and attended John Dibert elementary school and John McDonough High School. On December 12, 1946, she married Leo Mathes and moved to Fort Riley, Kansas prior to his discharge from the U.S. Army. Later they returned to Metairie to start a family. Among her hobbies were cooking, traveling, playing cards, dining out, watching and oftentimes attending LSU, Tulane, and Saints football games and in recent years, Pelicans basketball games. For many years, Josie was a volunteer fundraiser for the American Cancer Society as well as the American Heart Association. She had a deep devotion to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos and St. Joseph and said the rosary daily. Annually, she and her family (the Sacco and Serio families) celebrated the Sicilian tradition of honoring St. Joseph’s Feast day on March 19th by preparing an altar and a thanksgiving meal to be served to family and friends. In recent years, she baked cookies for the St. Joseph Altar at St. Louis Cathedral. She was a founding parishioner of St. Angela Merici Catholic Church. Her USA travels included tours of the east and west coasts and for thirty years enjoyed an annual July 4th trip to Destin, Florida with family and friends. Her trips to Europe took her to England, Italy and France where she visited Normandy. She was one of the greatest generation and loved her country. For the past 65 years she was a resident of Metairie. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo R. Mathes, Sr., her parents, Joseph and Jennie Sacco, her brothers Joseph Sacco and Lucas Sacco (Una) and her sister, Rose Mary Sacco Alessi. She is survived by her four devoted children, Kathleen Gaudin (Wayne), Cynthia Molyneux (Joseph), Leo Mathes (Ardythe), and Jennifer Klotz. Her eight loving grandchildren gave her much joy and happiness: Erica Klotz (Christille), Lindsey Klotz Caruso (Randy), Jessica Klotz Waguespack (Jason), Lauren Mathes, Courtney Mathes and Mallary Mathes, Nicole Gaudin Villemarette (Jason) and Joseph Molyneux (Chelsey). Nine precious great-grandchildren: Landon Warfe, Gabriella Villemarette, Blaise Villemarette, Stella Rose Caruso, Mason Caruso, Giuliana Hutchinson, Jaxson Waguespack, Jordyn Waguespack and Kyle Daul. Also survived by in-laws, Donna Mathes Maddock of Brisbane, Australia, Gerald and Olga Mathes and Leon and Harriet Mathes and her dear cousins, Constance Brocato of Beaumont, Texas and Barbara Johnson of New Orleans, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Josie was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, godmother, aunt, cousin and friend who loved life and loved her family very much. She will be sadly missed. Special thanks to all who so lovingly cared for Josie during the past 14 months and in particular the staff of Fresenius Dialysis Center for their warmth and professionalism. Family and friends are invited to attend visitation at Jacob Schoen & Son at 3827 Canal Street on Monday, April 29, 2019 beginning at 9:00 am followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 am. Interment to follow at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, 3421 Esplanade Ave.

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