Josephine (Interrante) Wilson

  Of Everett.  Passed away on September 27 at the age of 91.  “Jojo” was the bright and beloved light of her daughters Joanne Wilson of Revere, Robin Wilson of Cambridge, and Heidi Wilson and her partner Paul Malachowski of Chelsea.  Dear and cherished sister of Anna Keane (Interrante) and her late husband John, Charles Interrante and his wife Cathleen, and the late Jasper Interrante and his wife Jackie.  She is survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends, and her warmth and humor will be missed by all.

   Jojo was born on May 22, 1931, in Chelsea.  She graduated from Chelsea High, moved to Everett, and worked for forty years at the Whidden Memorial Hospital, where she cultivated friends of all ages and shared much camaraderie and laughter.  She was an avid reader, movie-goer, adventurer, and traveler and over the years visited Rome, Sicily, Paris, Greece, Morocco, and Portugal, with many trips to the western U.S. to explore the vast beauty of the Rocky Mtns.  Jojo’s other great joys in life were attending Boston Symphony Orchestra rehearsals and Boston Pops Christmas concerts, watching (and critiquing) her beloved New England sports teams, composing humorous poems to mark family birthdays and holidays, and gathering with friends and family in conversation, community, and celebration.   She loved being in downtown Boston at her favorite shops and bookstores and was a long-time member of St. Anthony’s Shrine on Arch St., a Franciscan Catholic community, where she knitted numerous hats, scarves, and mittens to help keep the homeless population of the city warm in winter.  Her quick-witted humor, endless curiosity about the people and world around her, and generous, non-judgmental nature made her a delight to know, and she was the bright light at every gathering.  Throughout her life she had an abiding love of the ocean, and in her last years it gave her a deep sense of peace to sit by the sea and bask in the sun.

   A memorial service for Jojo will be held Friday, Oct. 7, at 10:00, at Our Lady of Grace Parish, 194 Nichols St., Everett.  A gathering of family and friends will be held in the church hall at the end of the service, and all are kindly invited to attend.  Handicap access is available on the lower level right side of the church, and a parking lot is located behind the church on Harvard St.

   In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jojo’s name to St. Anthony’s Shrine, 100 Arch St., Boston, MA 02110.  https://stanthonyshrine.org/giving/