Josephine Maria Kyrkostas

Josephine Maria Kyrkostas was born on September 16, 1932 in Ruvo di Puglia, Bari, Italy. She died on Sunday, May 28, 2023, at her home in Shirley, New York due to complications from dementia and Parkinson’s disease. She was 90 years old. Josephine grew up in Bari, Italy where her parents owned a small store and sold pickled vegetables. Her Father, Michele Ciliberti, died when she was a child. Her Mother, Porzia Ciliberti, died a few years later and Josephine became an orphan at the age of eight. Josephine had two older brothers, Saverio Ciliberti and Vincenzo Ciliberti, and a younger sister, Vincenza Lutta.  Josephine and Vincenza were raised by Nuns at the Istituto Maria Cristina DiSavoia orphanage in Bitonto, Bari, Italy.

On May 5, 1949, at the age of 17, Josephine’s Uncle sponsored her and her sister to come to the United States of America. The voyage took 19 days via the Montonave Vulcania ship. Josephine became a U.S. citizen and worked as a seamstress. She met her husband, George Kyrkostas, at English school in the Bronx, New York. They were married January 29, 1955. They moved to Shirley, Long Island, New York in 1958. Josephine continued to work as a seamstress at a bathing suit manufacturer in Medford, New York. Josephine would often use her talents to make dresses, curtains, and clothing for her children. She loved to cook and would often make her own sauce, Sicilian pizza, manicotti, spanakopita, baklava, and a number of other dishes and desserts that were always made from scratch. Josephine was a very traditional, humble, and religious lady. She loved listening to Andrea Bocelli, Luciano Pavarotti, and Tom Jones. Her favorite movie was the Sound of Music and she often said that she almost decided to become a Nun like Julie Andrews’ character Maria in the movie.

Josephine is survived by her daughter, Joanne Halverson and her husband Robert, her son Christopher Kyrkostas and his wife Sandra, her grandchildren, Diane Kyrkostas, Robert Halverson and his wife Lauren, David Halverson and his wife Jessica, Jen Kyrkostas, Kristina Halverson Weisberg and her husband Andrew, Mark Halverson, Vincent Toth, Eric Toth, Summer Flesch and her husband Taylor, Alexander Toth as well as her great grandchildren, Aliyah Penn, Bryce Penn, Luke Halverson, Colin Halverson, Riley Halverson, and Kelsey Halverson.

Visiting hours will be from 4:00pm to 8:00pm on May 31 at the Moloney-Sinnicksons Funeral Home 203 Main Street, Center Moriches. Religious service at 6:00pm.

A short service will be held at 10:00am on June 1at the Moloney-Sinnicksons Funeral Home followed by a procession to Washington Memorial Park Cemetery 855 Canal Road, Mount Sinai, New York 11766.

In leu of flowers, if you would kindly make a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for research and a cure for Parkinson’s disease in Josephine’s honor. Thank you.

https://www.michaeljfox.org