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Obituary: Josephine H. Jarecki Mroz, 93, Turin
Published: July 13, 2026
By: Provided by Iseneker
Funeral Home
Josephine Helen
"Josie" Jarecki Mroz
 TURIN- Josephine Helen
"Josie" Jarecki Mroz, 93, of Scottsdale, AZ, formerly of Turin, NY,
passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Mosaic Gardens Memory
Care, Scottsdale, AZ.
Josie was born on
March 20, 1933, in the family farmhouse in Turin, NY, the daughter of the
late Wojciech "Albert" George Jarecki and Mary "Bertha"
Phillips Jarecki. Her father had worked as a coal miner in Pennsylvania
before the family settled on their farm in Turin, where Josie, the twelfth
of thirteen children, was born and raised. Growing up in a large Polish
family, faith, hard work, and tradition shaped the values that would guide
her throughout her life. She graduated from Lowville Academy High School in
1951.
On October 15,
1955, she married Edward “Eddie” Mroz and began the next chapter of her
life. She and her family made their home in Mendham, NJ, where they raised
their three children, Richard, Michael, and Jacqueline.
Josie devoted her
life to caring for others. She was first and foremost a loving wife,
mother, and homemaker who created a warm and welcoming home where family
and her Catholic faith always came first. Along the way, she also cared for
others through her work in private homes, preparing meals, keeping house,
and lending a helping hand wherever it was needed. Later, she found a role
that perfectly suited her caring nature, serving at Our Lady of Perpetual
Help Rectory in Bernardsville, New Jersey, where she lovingly prepared
meals and cared for the priests and their home.
After retiring
from the rectory in 2004, Josie moved to Scottsdale, AZ, to join her
daughter's family and embraced one of the roles she cherished most—helping
care for her granddaughter, Melody. She
quickly made herself at home, filling another kitchen with homemade meals,
baked treats, laughter, and the same love that had always been the heart of
her family. In later years, she enjoyed living independently in Phoenix
before health challenges eventually required additional care.
To those who
loved her, she was simply Josie.
Josie had a
gentle soul, a generous heart, and a joyful spirit. She laughed easily,
especially at the silliest jokes, and it never took much to make her
giggle. She never had an unkind word to say about anyone and always looked
for the good in people. Whether through a handwritten card, a carefully
chosen holiday gift, a plate of homemade cookies, or insisting everyone
enjoy one more helping at the table, she had a
remarkable way of making people feel loved.
Her Catholic
faith was the foundation of her life. Prayer was woven into her everyday
routine, and her home reflected the deep devotion she carried in her heart. That faith also led her on pilgrimages to
Jerusalem and Medjugorje, journeys that remained especially meaningful to
her.
Josie embraced
the Polish traditions she loved, celebrating Christmas and Easter with
cherished family customs and homemade meals. Her kitchen was where so many
of her family's favorite memories were made. She was known for her homemade
chruściki, pierniki
nut roll cookies, babka, cakes, pies, gołąbki,
and pierogi. She preserved recipes handed down through generations, and no
one ever left her table hungry. Before setting her bread dough aside to
rise, she would quietly bless it—a simple tradition that reflected the
faith she carried into every part of her life.
Wherever life
took her, Josie had a gift for making lifelong friends. Her warmth,
sincerity, and genuine interest in others made people feel welcome,
remembered, and valued. She leaves behind countless family members and
friends whose lives were brighter because they knew her.
She is lovingly
remembered by her three children, Richard, Michael, and Jacqueline (Matt);
her four grandchildren, Nicholas, Christopher, Cameron, and Melody; her
beloved sister, Genevieve "Gay" Seelman; and many nieces,
nephews, and dear friends.
In addition to
her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters, Benny,
Roman, Ruth, Julia, John, Paul, Anne, Frank "Fritzi," Jennie,
Stasha, and Peter, and her ex-husband Eddie.
Although dementia
marked the final chapter of her life, it never defined the remarkable woman
she had been for the many decades before it. Those who knew and loved Josie
will remember her unwavering faith, her generous heart, her joyful spirit,
and the countless ways she made people feel cared for. Her handwritten recipes, treasured Polish traditions,
and the love she shared so freely will continue to live on in the hearts,
homes, and family traditions of all who were blessed to know her.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or
afraid.” — John 14:27
A funeral Mass
will be said at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026
at St. Peter’s Catholic Church with Rev. Sony G. Pulickal,
Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at
Old Glendale Cemetery. Arrangements are with Iseneker
Funeral Home, Inc.
Condolences may
be made online at www.isenekerfuneralhome.com.
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