DeFRANCO

JOSEPHINE "JAY" (CELENDER)

Age 88, of Lawrenceville, passed away peacefully, on January 12, 2026.

Born in 1937 in Bloomfield, Josephine was the daughter of the late Peter and Lucy Celender, who immigrated from the Calabrian Region of Italy and instilled in her the values of hard work, family, and community. A proud longtime resident of Lawrenceville, Josephine was a familiar presence — often seen walking up and down Butler Street up until the last few years of her life.

Josephine was the beloved wife of the late Francis "Herky" DeFranco whom she married in 1956. She was the loving mother of Diane DeFranco of Oakmont, Luci (Joe) Casile of Indiana Twp and the late Ralph DeFranco. She was a devoted Gram and Nana to Jason (Allison) DeFranco of Cranberry Twp, Joseph (Andrea) DeFranco of Hampden, ME, Zachary Sundo of Lawrenceville and Dominic Casile of Indiana Twp. She was also blessed with great-grandchildren, Luca, Gianna; and twins, Alessandra, and Milena DeFranco, who brought her immense joy.

Josephine was one of many siblings and treasured her large family. She was the sister of Peter "Jr." (Maria) Celender and Joseph (Ginny) Celender and the late Vito, Anthony "Red" (Corrine), James, Michael, Eugene (Arlene) Celender, Denise Celetano, Theresa Randazzo and Mary Jane Lee.

Josephine is survived by several nieces and nephews; and was a special aunt to Lucia Reynolds of Greenville, Anita Szabo of Southgate MI, Jeanine Campbell of Monroeville and Rachel Lischy of Pittsburgh, with whom she shared a particularly close bond.

Josephine cherished her Italian heritage and carried it proudly in everyday life, most memorably through her cooking. An excellent cook, she was especially known for her homemade meatballs and Italian meals. She was an exceptional baker, and her Italian Iced cookies won a contest in the annual Lawrenceville Cookie Tour.

A longtime member and volunteer of the Lawrenceville Moose, Josephine proudly made history as the organization's first female bartender, a role that reflected her independence and trailblazing spirit. She was also a dedicated longtime employee of Catherine Conley, Attorney at Law, where she was known for her loyalty and strong work ethic. She also generously volunteered her time as a teacher's aide at St. John Neumann School in Lawrenceville for many years.

The family sincerely thanks the staff at East End Health & Rehab Center in Highland Park for the exceptional care, compassion, and dignity shown to our Mom. Your kindness brought comfort not only to her, but to our entire family, and will never be forgotten.

Honoring her wishes, a private service will be held for the family.

Arrangements by the WALTER J. ZALEWSKI FUNERAL HOME, Lawrenceville.