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The Woodland Park teen affectionately known as Pepa, died on June 5 at at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick after a battle of her own with DIPG brain cancer.
More than $36,700 had been raised as of Tuesday morning on a GoFundMe for Josephine's medical bills.
Josephine, an eighth grader at Memorial Middle School, was remembered as a brain cancer warrior, having fought for 16 months.
"She fought and never complained, always believing she would defeat DIPG, because she loved life," the obit says.
"She continued to live life to the fullest, even when DIPG paralyzed her face making it impossible to smile."
Her family documented her journey on a Facebook page.
Josephine is survived by her parents, Patricia Palman and Italo Palman; siblings Jonathan Gesualdi and wife Sonia, Jessica Yip and husband David, Jennifer Gesualdi, Justin Palman, Julia Palman, and Erica and Meghan Palman; grandmother, Laura Palman; along with aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends.
Visitation is Tuesday from 2 to 4 p.m., and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Aloia Funeral Home in Garfield. The funeral will be Wednesday at 7:45 a.m., followed by 9 a.m. Mass at Holy Cross Polish National Church in Woodland Park.
Interment will be at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery, in Jim Thorpe, P.A.
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