Obituary of Josephine A. Caruso

Josephine A. Caruso- "Jo" June 30th, 1932- April 18th, 2018. She is

survived by her companion of over 50 years, Joseph D. Landi, her beloved

brother, Conrad S. Caruso & wife Joan, nieces Anne Dripchak & husband

Michael, Marie Alliegro & husband Mark and nephew Paul J. Caruso. Jo

was also a great-aunt to Marie & Meghan Dripchak and Kathryn Alliegro

and a close cousin to Anita and son Rob MacDonald.

Josephine was a teacher and concert pianist who devoted her career to

teaching music; influencing the lives of many students. She devoted her

time and talents to numerous organizations, promoting classical music and

fostering the talents of young musicians.

Josephine received a Bachelor of Music Degree from Manhattanville

College and a Masters of Music from Rosary College for studies in

Florence, Italy. She continued her education with additional graduate work

at Columbia University, Manhattanville and Manhattan College. In 1959,

she made her professional Town Hall debut and performed extensively in

the United States, Italy, Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Canada, as a featured

soloist with orchestras.

Jo taught music at Lincoln High School in Yonkers for 37 years and served

as Chairperson of the Performing Arts Department until her retirement in

1994. In addition, she was an adjunct faculty member at several colleges

and universities throughout the country, teaching music education,

workshops and conducting choral groups.

For over sixty years, Jo taught many students in her private piano studio

until March 2018. Every spring, Jo would host a recital for her students,

ending the evening with a festive reception for the students and their

families.

Her professional affiliations included serving as Consultant to the National

Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project and Project "ES70's", President of

the Westchester County School Music Association and Piano Chairperson

for the N.Y. State School Music Association.

As an activist for arts in the community, she served as President of the Fine

Arts Orchestral Society which sponsors the Yonkers Philharmonic

Orchestra. She founded and co-coordinated the Concerto Competition for

the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra since 1979. She also served as

president of the Chaminade Music Club of Yonkers and Co-President and

Treasurer of the Westchester Musicians Guild and served on the

committee that organizes Student Recitals. Lastly, Jo served on the board

of the NY State Music Teachers Association.

In 2004, Jo was awarded the Arts in the Community Award from the

Westchester Arts Council and in 2006 she received the Humanitarian

Award from the Columbus Day Celebration Committee in Yonkers.

Jo was equally dedicated to her family as she was to the music community.

She was a devoted and generous aunt to her nieces, nephew and

grand-nieces. In many respects she was regarded as a second mother and

grandmother to them.

Jo was the aunt that had Macy's toy store under her tree at Christmas. She

instilled the love of music and the performing arts by taking her nieces and

nephew to concerts and Broadway shows. She also had time to take

them for ice-cream, to carnivals, shopping as well as summer trips to

Spring Lake.

Throughout the years, she and Joe entertained family and friends at their

homes in Yonkers and the Jersey Shore. During their retirement, they

enjoyed traveling to various parts of the world.

Jo was truly loved by her family and friends and will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in memory of Josephine to any of

the organizations in which Jo dedicated her time and talent.

The Westchester Musicians Guild

Dorothy Duncan

14 Vernon Parkway

Mount Vernon, N.Y. 10552

Chaminade

Judy Skoog

439 Pine Grove Lane

Hartsdale, N.Y. 10530

FAOS/Yonkers Philharmonic

P. O. Box 705

Yonkers, N.Y. 10704

Please send all correspondence to The Caruso Family at:

Anne Caruso Dripchak

60 Riverview Terrace

Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

Funeral arrangements:

Wake :

Sinatra Memorial Home

499 Yonkers Ave.

Yonkers N.Y.

Sunday, April 22nd 4:00PM-8:00PM

Funeral :

Mount Carmel Church

70 Park Hill Ave.

Yonkers, NY

Monday, April 23rd. 10:00AM

Burial :

The Gates of Heaven

Hawthorne, NY