Giuseppa “Josephine” Vitale, née Santamaria, age 85, formerly of Florissant and St. Louis, Missouri, went to Heaven to be with her beloved husband, Dominic, on June 5, 2026, in Navarre Beach, Florida.
Josephine was born on November 30, 1940, in Castelvetrano, Trapani, Sicily, Italy, to Giuseppe Santamaria and Francesca Elenora Rizzo Santamaria. She came to America with her sister Antonia and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1958, she married Dominic Vitale, the love of her life. Together, they built a beautiful life and raised five children: Victoria, Linda, Dino, Donna, and Mark.
Josephine devoted her life to her faith and her family. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, godmother, great-aunt, and friend. She showed her love through the things she so joyfully did for others: cooking, baking, quilting, and gardening. Her home, her table, and her heart were always filled with love. She carried her Sicilian heritage with pride and passed that love of faith, family, and tradition on to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Josephine was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Dominic Vitale; her parents, Giuseppe Santamaria and Francesca Elenora Rizzo Santamaria; her brother, Giuseppe Santamaria; her sister, Antonette Falcetta; her brother-in-law, Kenneth Hoffman; and her daughter-in-law, Sherry Vitale.
She is survived by her children, Victoria Howard and her husband James, Linda Nelsen and her husband Glen, Dino Vitale, Donna Vitale, and Mark Vitale and his wife Penny; her siblings, Rosa Hoffman and Antonio Santamaria, his wife Virginia; and her brother-in-law, Antonino Falcetta.
She was the cherished grandmother of Russ and his wife Candi, Frank and his wife Monica, Francesca and her husband Matthew, Dominic and his wife Faryn, Melissa, Katie and her husband John, Mark and his wife April, Joseph and his wife Song, Steven and his wife Devon, Mike and his wife Jess, Stephanie and her husband Joe, Angelina and her husband Will, Dominic and his wife Erika, Michelle and her husband Cory, and Josephine and her husband Miguel
She was also the beloved great-grandmother of Kolby, Bella, Kenslie, Owen, Kaitlin, Liam, Nicholas, Olivia, Luca, Leland, Nicolina, Sydney, Graham, Jack, Eli, Gabriel, Grayson, Dixie, Carson, Hayden, Alaina, Micah, Paisley, Bennett, Caroline, and Caden.
Josephine also deeply loved her godchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family, and many friends. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Our hearts are broken, but we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with her beloved Dominic.
Visitation at Kutis Funeral Home, Affton Chapel, 10151 Gravois Road, Saturday, June 13, from 10:00 AM until the Funeral Service at 12:30 PM. Interment Resurrection cemetery.