LaCascia, Josephine M. (Badessa) A Life Well Fought. Family Matriarch, Josephine M. LaCascia (Badessa), 86, of Wellesley Hills, MA passed away peacefully on October 29, 2020 after a 50-year fight with Rheumatoid Arthritis that could never stop her from living an amazing life.
She was born in Boston, MA to the late John Badessa and Giovanna “Jenny” (Berenato) Badessa on November 29, 1933. Josephine grew up in Dorchester, MA and graduated from Dorchester High School for Girls and the Katherine Gibbs School in Boston before moving to West Roxbury where she proudly would utter the phrase “you can never take the Dorchester out of the girl.”
She married the late John A. LaCascia in 1960. They lived together in West Roxbury for 15 years before relocating to Wellesley Hills. Josephine is survived by a loyal and faithful sister-in-law, Anna Fioretti of Medford, MA and her loving children Joseph LaCascia and his spouse Aleta; Christine LaCascia and Janice LaCascia-Mahoney and her spouse Brendan Mahoney. She is also survived by her adored grandchildren Ava, Nia, Sophia and Olivia. We will all miss her immensely.
Josephine began her career as a high-powered legal secretary in Boston in the 1950’s. She was also the former President of the Junior League of the Women’s Italian Club of Boston. As a stylish, well-travelled woman she had many friends and suitors but then met her future husband and one true love of her life. “Jack” and “Jody” were soon married in 1960 and started out on their life together and the building of their loving family. When her husband passed away at a young age due to cancer, she carried on as a widowed single mother of three, taking over the family business, West Roxbury Auto School which under her management became New England Driving School, the largest driving school in the Boston area. Thousands of teenagers in Boston went through this “rite of passage” with her and knew her fondly as “Mrs. L.” She continued to receive greetings and messages from them through social media until the end. She struggled through tough times and went on to become an advocate for the rights and empowerment of women in business.
Her pastimes were family, grandchildren, friends, outings and politics. She loved to document her ancestry and family history and the get-togethers that she had doing this. She loved her Sicilian heritage. She spent much of her final years on social media encouraging people to vote and to get involved in political debate and discussion.
Known to her children as their lovable “gypsy”, she kept moving forward in her life, never looking back and enduring through a long-term battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis that she would never let hold her down. During her 50-year battle with the disease, she managed a busy career and her illness while continuing on as the main supporter of her children seeing them all through college and successful careers of their own. In later years, she notably worked as a secretary for the Town of Wellesley Selectmen’s office and Deland Gibson Insurance Agency in Wellesley, Hills until her retirement.
A visitation will be held at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St. (Rt.16), Wellesley on Sunday November 1, 2020 from 4-7pm. A private funeral Mass will be held at St. Paul Church, Wellesley, on Monday at 11am. Interment private.