Jospehine H. Diefendorf Obituary (1916

Longtime Bremerton resident Josephine H. Diefendorf died on May 31st in Seattle. Mrs. Josephine H. Diefendorf was born September 17th, 1916, in Philadelphia, PA, the only child of George and Mary Head. Following her Father's death, Josephine, at age 10 lived at the Bird School under the watchful eye of Ms. Tappin, an individual whose lifelong influence on Josephine was significant in the Diefendorf household. Following her education in Philadelphia, she graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University in New York City as a registered nurse in 1937. Josephine continued her nursing practice for several years at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. It was during this time that Josephine met Richard O. Diefendorf, then a resident physician training under Dr. Allen O. Whipple. After the Pearl Harbor attack, Josephine and Richard joined the army. Marriage plans were delayed to permit Josephine to take overseas duty. Following a 3-year period with little contact, Josephine and Richard were married on November 1st, 1945, in York, Pennsylvania and subsequently the two moved to Bremerton, WA. By 1946 their residence at the end of Marine Drive became home to Josephine's Mother, Richard's Father, and their first child Richard George Diefendorf. Over-the-years, this home became a wonderful gathering place for the school friends of the three boys (Richard, Mark, and Allan), colleagues of "the Doctor", and most of all, frequent family get-togethers. There is no question that Josephine, usually behind the scenes, was responsible for creating such a welcoming environment. Josephine's friends would commonly remark that every encounter with her was somehow uplifting. Her love and enthusiasm for living even through the last several months were strong and unwavering. Yet, she had love and enthusiasm for many things: her Schutt Clinic friends, her fellow volunteers at Harrison Hospital, her nursing colleagues and life-long friends, her community, and most certainly her husband and family. She leaves these incredible attributes with her family to carry forward as her legacy. A memorial reception will be held on Saturday, June 18th at 1:00pm at the Lewis Funeral Chapel in Bremerton (5303 Kitsap Way). The family has requested no flowers; however, donations may be made in her honor to: The Harrison Medical Center Foundation; 2520 Cherry Avenue; Bremerton, WA 98310.