Josephine Mary Lambiase

Josephine “Jo” Mary (Preckajlo) Lambiase was born March 22, 1931 in Newark, New Jersey to Ignatius and Salomea(Szuber) Preckajlo. Jo grew up in Newark, and graduated from East Side High School in Newark in 1949. As a young girl, Jo enjoyed going to the movies. Jo married Alfred Lambiase on May 21, 1960 at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in North Bend, Oregon. The couple have been blessed with three children: Donna, Andrea, and Christopher. Due to Al’s career in the Air Force, the family lived in numerous places: Florida, Oregon, California, Spain, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Bellevue, NE at Offutt Air Force Base, before settling in Bennington, Nebraska in 1974. Jo stayed active on the Bennington Fire Auxiliary and the Legion Auxiliary, and enjoyed playing BINGO, bowling, and doing crochet, but her greatest joy was being a mother to her three children. She will be remembered as a loving, giving, compassionate woman with a heart of gold. She could be stubborn, but was known more to be funny with a good sense of humor, and she had an infectious laugh. Jo was a big fan of John Wayne, and liked to watch “her lady” on Long Island Medium on TV. She enjoyed dinner out at the Cracker Barrel, or a kielbasa, and made the best homemade ravioli. Jo was proud of her life with Al and the kids, and loved traveling with him to his different Air Bases, but she was also glad to put down roots in Nebraska after he retired. She never wanted her kids to grow up in the city like she did. She will be remembered for her selflessness, her faithfulness, both to Al in their marriage, and to God, and for always putting others first. Jo died at her home in Bennington, Nebraska on August 1, 2016 at the age of 85 years, 4 months, and 9 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Alfred, brothers: Walter, Edward, Stanley, and Henry Preckajlo, and sister and brother-in-law Genevieve & Joseph Schaffren. Jo is survived by her daughters: Andrea Lambiase of Bennington, and Donna (Ken) Kaluza of Bellevue, NE, son Christopher Lambiase, and his fiancée Jamie of Lincoln, NE;and sister-in-law Anne Preckajlo of New Jersey. Josephine M. “Jo” Lambiase, age 85, of Bennington, NE, died 8/1/16. Preceded in death by parents, husband Alfred, brothers; Walter, Edward, Stanley, and Henry Preckajlo, and sister and brother-in-law Genevieve & Joseph Schaffren. Survived by daughters; Andrea Lambiase of Bennington, Donna (Ken) Kaluza of Bellevue, NE, son Christopher Lambiase, and fiancée Jamie of Lincoln, NE, and sister-in-law Anne Preckajlo of New Jersey. Funeral Mass 10:30 AM Thursday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Elkhorn. Interment Prairie View Cemetery. Visitation 5 to 7 PM at the funeral home in Bennington with a Wake service at 7 PM. Memorials to the family.

Josephine Mary Lambiase

March 22, 1931 - August 1, 2016