Josephine Zapata

Josephine "Josie" Zapata, age 81, of Marshall died Friday, February 22, 2008 in Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo following a short illness.Mrs. Zapata was born on February 15, 1927 in Brownsville, Texas to Zargoza and Guadalupe Aguilar.In 1945, she married Raymond Zapata in Madison, Wisconsin. He preceded her in death.She has been a resident of the Marshall area the majority of her life. As a small child her family moved from Texas to the Charlotte, Michigan area and moved to Marshall a few years later. She attended Marshall Public Schools. Josie had worked for many years at the State Farm Regional Offices as a housekeeper. She had also been employed by the Lansing Court System as an interpreter.Her family had lived in Wisconsin for several years, while living there; she worked as an inspector in an Egg Factory, candling eggs.Josie loved to go shopping and never passed up an opportunity to go to a garage or yard sale. Her family remembers her as a very loving and giving person. She was always eager to help anyone in need and never expected anything in return. Her home was always filled with children and she is credited with raising not only her own children but many others. She filled her home with love, common sense thinking, music and humor.She is survived by her mother, Guadalupe Aguilar; sister, Inez (Mario) Garcia; children, Norma (Ron) Darden, Andrew Zapata, Raymond Zapata Jr., Cheryl Nelson, Robert Zapata and Jason Vasquez; 8 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild; mother, Guadalupe Aguilar; and her companion of 31 years, Gustavo Vasquez. She is preceded in death by her father, Zargozo Aguilar; husband, Raymond Zapata Sr., daughter-in-law and several nieces and nephews.The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 3:00 Sunday afternoon, February 24 at the Craig K. Kempf Funeral Home.Memorial contributions to the Donor''s Choice. Assistance with memorials is available at the funeral home.