Josefa (Ortiz) Ocasio

Josefa Ocasio, a devoted-loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend passed away on Friday, January 9 at the age of 77. She was surrounded by love, just as she spent her life giving it.

Born on March 21, 1948 in Aguada, Puerto Rico, Josefa came to the United States as a young girl. She graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in 1967. It was during this time she was searching for God. In her yearbook she wrote the lines of her favorite poem: Give Me Thy Heart by Adelaide Anne Procter. “Vain are thy offerings, vain thy sighs, without one gift divine; Give it, my child, give thy heart to Me.” This line spoke to the yearning she had for a close relationship with God. A relationship that she would be rooted in for the rest of her life. A relationship from where her love and kindness grew. A relationship that followed her through good times and bad.

After high school, Josefa immediately entered the workforce at Prudential within their travel department. She orchestrated the travel needs for those who worked for the company. She married in October 1977 to Elio Ocasio. When her department in Prudential was closed, Josefa went to American Express to handle travel affairs there until she retired from the workforce. Josefa had a great love of drawing, reading, and writing. She was known for the many poems and stories she would write, and she passed her love of reading and writing to her children.

Josefa was known by many for her kindness, love, and unwavering devotion to her family. She poured her heart into caring for those she loved. Her home was always a place of comfort, warmth, and laughter. Josefa was the living embodiment of love and kindness. She had a special way of making everyone feel welcome. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, her wise advice, her sense of humor, and the countless sacrifices she made for others. Her love left a lasting imprint on all who knew her because she loved with a fierce love that could never be matched.

She is survived by her children, Eliott Ocasio and Erika Jimenez (son and daughter-in-law, Manuel and Paulina, whom Josefa thought of as her own children); her grandchildren, Joshua, Jasmine, Eliott Jr, Sebastian, Manny Jr, and Isaiah; her great-grandchildren, Maribel and Mateo; and other cherished family members (nieces) and friends. She was preceded in death by her siblings, Neco and Soledad, as well as her husband, Elio.

Though our hearts are heavy, we are grateful for the time shared with her and the memories that will live on forever. Her love will continue to guide us, and she will be deeply missed. We will forever be altered by her loss as we were forever altered by her love.

A celebration of Josefa Ocasio’s life will be held on Thursday, January 15th, at Jaqui-Kuhn Funeral Home, 17 S. Adelaide Avenue, Highland Park, NJ. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a viewing from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Pastor Arlena Corzine, executive pastor of Kingsway Church, will begin the prayer service at 3 pm. Parking is available in the lot behind the funeral home or on S. Adelaide Avenue.

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