Jo ‘Jo-Jo’ N. Ditto, retired nurse
Jo N. Ditto, aka JoJo, 95, of Lewes passed away peacefully Monday, July 9, 2018, at the Moorings in Lewes. She was born March 2, 1923, in Fairchance, Pa., the daughter of the late Ralph and Angela (Angeline) Nepa.
Mrs. Ditto graduated from Fairchance Borough High School, class of 1941. She entered the three-year nursing program at Heiskell Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, W.Va. In March 1945 Mrs. Ditto joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps where she served during World War II. She proudly served for 32 months as a second lieutenant and was promoted to first lieutenant. Upon her marriage in 1947, she was honorably discharged.
Mrs. Ditto attended the University of Delaware for two years and studied an additional semester of geriatric nursing. Throughout her long career in this field which she so loved, she served as a charge nurse, head nurse, and an assistant director of nursing.
In her spare time, Mrs. Ditto loved gardening. She was an avid reader, kept abreast of current political events, and loved receiving visitors of all ages. She was a member of the Columbiettes of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church in Lewes, the Zwaanendael Women's Club, GFWC, the Elks Lodge, and a volunteer at the Overfalls Lightship in Lewes. She was an active member of a bereavement group, and belonged to numerous civic and religious organizations throughout her lifetime. She was committed to helping others through volunteering. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin and friend who will be dearly missed.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Ditto was preceded in death by her husband, Richard S. Ditto; her son, John Scott Ditto; her son-in-law, Nicholas A. Cofrancesco; her sister, Mary (Steve) Polink; her brother, Joseph (Patricia) Nepa; and her companion, John Turansky Sr.
She is survived by her daughters: Catherine D. Cofrancesco of Lewes and Patricia S. Ditto of Dover; her grandchildren, Kay Cofrancesco Bayne (Douglas) of Bethesda, Md., Carla Cofrancesco Brewer (Keith) of Arlington, Va., and Alexander N. Cofrancesco of Baltimore, Md.; her two great-grandchildren: Andrea Rose and Nicholas Andrew Brewer; a close family friend, Patrick Ryan of Dover; her cousins: Mara Jo Sigut, Gene Marion, Bernie Blaney and Sandy Blaney; and many friends.
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the staff at the Moorings who took such loving care of our mother in her final five months.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, July 13, at 11 a.m., at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 152 Tulip Drive, Lewes, where friends may visit beginning at 10 a.m.
Burial will follow the services at Henlopen Memorial Park, 28787 Lockerman Road, Milton.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Ditto's name to ARC of Delaware, 2 South Augustine St., Suite B, Wilmington, DE 19804, to The Purple Heart Foundation, 7008 Little River Turnpike, Box 49, Annandale, VA 22003, or to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes.
Please visit Mrs. Ditto's Life Memorial Webpage and sign her online guest book at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com.
