Josephine H. Vitkus, age 90, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 3, 2018.  She was born to the late John and Josephine (Panioto) Tassone on January 20, 1928, in Hartford, CT.  Josephine was predeceased by her beloved husband, Joseph P. Vitkus.  Together, they had six daughters who are blessed to honor her. She leaves: Cindy & Ed Scotton, Lauren & Daniel Caye, Andrea and her late husband Paul Martin, Amy & Sebby Vernali, Jaye LaPointe, Holly & Joseph Scalzo; her cherished grandchildren, a source of much pleasure and love: Carey, Drew & Damaris and son Jovi, Joey, PJ, Kaylee, Nicholas, Steven, and Sylvia; and her great-grandchildren: Jordan, Cole, Blake, Josie, and Jemma.  She also leaves her brother John Tassone, his wife Mitzi; nieces and nephews: Steven, Carol, Linda, Laura, Peter, Emma and Lily.  She is predeceased by her sister Stella, Lou Gabriel and their son Tom.

Josie lived her life fully and with complete devotion to the family she leaves behind. She was generous to a fault and chances are you didn't leave her home hungry, or without a crocheted blanket. She instilled in her daughters the importance of reading, music, live theater, poetry, and dancing. Her motto was "Love Each Other, Family is Everything."  She will live in our hearts forever.

Special thanks to her friends at Orchard Ridge (Mary, Maureen, Shirley, and Kate) who provided years of laughter and camaraderie, as well as the capable doctors, nurses and aides from Hartford Hospice.  Your kindness and the comfort you provided meant the world to Josie and her family.

A memorial gathering of family and friends will be on Tuesday, August 14 ^th , from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by a prayer service, 11 a.m. at the Dillon-Baxter Funeral Home, 1276 Berlin Turnpike, Wethersfield.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105, Shriners Hospital, Office of Development, Shriners Hospitals for Children®, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607 or Harford Healthcare Hospice, 300 Queen St., Southington, CT 06489.  Please click the 'View/Sign Guest Book' link above to share a memory with her family.