OBITUARY

Sister Josephine Jean (Jerry) Iozzo, 78

Posted

NORTH SMITHFIELD — Franciscan Missionary of Mary Sister Josephine Jean (Jerry) Iozzo, 78, died March 28 at St. Antoine Residence.

She was the daughter of the late Francis and Mary Grace (Perrone) Iozzo. She entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in March, 1949 at North Providence, and pronounced her final vows on September 17,1954.

After completing a bachelor’s degree in English at Emmanuel College, Boston, she served for several years in the Mission Press of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in North Providence as a linotypist, then directress and editor of all of the publications.

In 1959, Sister Iozzo was called to Rome where she remained long enough to see the election of Pope John XXIII. She had the privilege of being one of a group of departing missionaries who received the missionary cross from newly-elected Pope John XXIII in a departure ceremony held for missionaries of several congregations at St. Peter’s in Rome. She was then sent in mission to Malaysia and Indonesia. For several months, she served as the superior of Assunta Convent and Hospital in Malaysia. She then traveled to Indonesia where she taught for several years in an International School in Jakarta. She also served as the superior of her community.

From 1968 to 1975, she served as the Provincial Superior of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Following her term of leadership, she studied theology and spirituality during a sabbatical in Rome.

In 1977 she was elected as the superior of St. Helen’s community in the Generalate of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, Rome. After the Institute’s General Chapter in 1978, she was elected to serve as Provincial Superior of the United States.

After completing her terms, Sister Iozzo was appointed as the directress of Bethany Renewal House in North Providence and also assisted in the Mission Resource Center. In 1998, she served as the local coordinator of Trinity Community in North Providence.

Then she was missioned to Nazareth Novitiate as a member of the core community, until she required nursing care at St. Antoine Residence, North Smithfield.

She is survived by two sisters, Mary Stella Curro and Eleanor Lucas, both of Watertown, MA. She was predeceased by her sister, Frances Tramonte.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated March 31 in Holy Family Chapel, North Providence. Burial was in the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Cemetery.