Josephine Anne Jerz passed away peacefully with family at her side on August 10, 2026, at the age of 91. She was born on February 21, 1935, in Ware Massachusetts (MA). She grew up in West Warren MA as the oldest child of John and Josephine Czapla. Born into a Polish speaking household she was challenged first to learn English.

Josephine (Jo) became a registered nurse at the age of 20 at Springfield College in Massachusetts. Throughout her nursing years, she worked in the emergency room at Springfield Hospital, at Bay Path Junior College in Longmeadow MA, as a camp nurse at Great East Lodge in Maine and also in NYC with her cousin Janet a respected cardiologist. Jo generously shared her knowledge, skills, and compassion wherever they were needed.

Josephine's greatest joy was always her family. Jo married Edward (Ed) Lawrence Jerz on September 7th 1959 at Saint Stanislaus Church in West Warren. Together Ed and Jo raised four children in Chicopee MA, before moving to Jacksonville Florida (FL) in the early 80s. In Jacksonville, Jo and Ed became active parishioners at Christ the King Church. Edward passed at the age of 80 in August of 2010.

Despite the distance Jo always remained connected to her siblings and their families. Mary and Walter Koziol, Stanley and Joan Czapla and her youngest sibling John Czapla.

During her time at Harts Harbor Health Care Center in Jacksonville Jo enjoyed family supported visits to Jacksonville Beach and St. Augustine and singing her favorite songs , enjoying meals, phone calls and just the simple close moments with her children, Teresa Deforge ,Paul and Kris Jerz, Cathy and Michael O’Connell ,and Jennifer and Dave Mitchell and their families.

Josephine was a proud and loving grandmother to eight amazing grandchildren and their families… Ryan (Eryn), Seth (Claudia), Zachary, Dylan (Antonia) ,Michael (Christina), William, Alexis (Ethan) and Matthew.

Josephine most recently was also blessed and able to cherish her great-granddaughter Riley Mae White.

Her legacy of love, compassion, and devotion to family will live on through the generations she leaves behind, and her memory will remain in the hearts of all her extended family including many nephews, nieces, and cousins and many friends.

May she rest peacefully, knowing how deeply she was loved and how greatly she will be missed.

“Unforgettable.....That's what you are”