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Josephine “Josie” <I>Magnasco</I> Schuepbach

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Josephine “Josie” Magnasco Schuepbach

Birth
Palermo, Città Metropolitana di Palermo, Sicilia, Italy
Death
3 Apr 1992 (aged 82)
Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
Burial
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section 8, Lot 149, Grave Adult
Memorial ID
View Source
The wonderful creator of Josie's Spaghetti House at 906 Regent St. She was also a part of the Three Sisters restaurant at the corner of Johnson and State Sts.

Wisconsin State Journal, Wednesday, June 29, 1988
"Taking risks paid off for Josie
by Marc Kornblatt
For the State Journal
'When you have to grow up as an orphan, you learn to take risks. I took risks.'

So says Josephine Schuepbach, when summing up her successful career as a Madison restauranteur. The 79-year-old great-grandmother will formally celebrate 45 years of 'professional cooking' Saturday afternoon at her restaurant, Josie's Spaghetti House, 906 Regent St.

Now retired - her daughter Joann Jensen currently manages the restaurant - Schuepbach (pronounced Shep-bock) says she began cooking in earnest when she was a child.

The second oldest of four sisters, she was born in Palermo, on the island of Sicily, in 1909, and arrived in Madison with her family when she was 2. Her father, Anthony Magnasco, was a construction worker.

'My mother died when I was 6 or 6 and my father had to put me in an orphanage in Milwaukee for about two years,' she recalled recently, while sipping a cup of cooffee in a back booth of her restaurant. 'After he brought me home I did most of the cooking for the family. My neighbors taught me.'

She attended school through eight grade and at 18 married Ernest Schuepbach, a farmer. Fifteen years later, during World War II, to help bring in more money, she decided to get a job off the farm. By then she had seven children.

Schuepbach worked as a cook at an Italian restaurant on Madison's West Side for several years before she took her first business risk.

Convincing her husband to mortgage his cattle, she raised $1,500 and joined forces with her sisters, Santina and Mary. They took over the College Inn at the corner of Johnson and State streets, renamed it the Three Sisters, renovated the kitchen and waited for customers to show up.

But nobody came.

'We were too far away from the university and there weren't many stores (on State Street) then,' said Schuepbach. 'We were losing our shirts.'

They closed the restaurant within a year.

As a cook and dining room manager, Schuepbach entered into several other partnerships, both formal and informal. By her own inexact reckoning (she lost all of her records in a fire a while back) she figures she got her husband to take out as many as six mortgages to help bankroll her over the years.

Their 1964 gamble together, the purchase of the stone-front building that is Josie's Spaghetti House, has paid off handsomely, according to the restaurant's namesake.

'We've had good business here,' she said. 'Everyone has been happy since I've been working on my own.'

On a recent weekday morning as the staff prepared for lunch, the atmosphere of the restaurant felt relaxed. Two waitresses sat smiling at a nearby table as Schuepbach recounted her life story. One of the Lorraine Shunk, has worked at Josie's since it opened.

'I don't know why I've stayed,' explained Shunk, with a twinkle in her eye. The others laughed. Then, more seriously, she added, 'I'm like a member of the family here.'

Ernest Schuepback died in 1979. His widow now lives alone on their farm, its mortgage secure, near Fitchburg. And she drives back and forth to the restaurant, where she likes to visit with staff and customers, in a Cadillac, proof of her hard work and successful entrepreneurship.

'We've has some good times and some bad times,' she said. 'I've enjoyed every bit of it.

"Toast to Josie on Saturday
On Saturday, between noon and 3 p.m., Josie's will have an open house to toast its founder. There will be a slide show featuring highlights from the guest of honor's life, a performance by an Italian dance troupe and food, compliments of the management. For more information call 256-5558."

Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, April 4, 1992
"Schuepbach, Josephine Magnasco
MADISON -- Josephine Magnasco Schuepbach, age 82, died on April 3, 1992. She was born on September 15, 1909 in Palermo, Sicily. Josie's Italian mother and father were holding two-year-old Josie's hands as she stepped off the boat at Ellis Island. It was the beginning of a new life for a young Italian girl and her immigrant family. Little did little Josie know the difference she would make on the loves of hundreds of family friends and patrons in the next 80 years. Josie and her family moved close to relatives and friends in the thriving Italian 'Bush' district of Madison, Wisconsin. Five years later, her mother died after childbirth, leaving Josie to care for her family of five. Always the worker as a young teen-ager, she cleaned houses for Madison's most affluent citizens, while she cared and cooked for her brothers, sister, and father. At the age of 17, Josie was courted by New Glarus farmer, Ernest Schuepbach, who soon married her. Farming and raising seven children of her own during the depression was hard work yet Josie managed to take care of family members less fortunate than herself. Josie, as her friends and family will attest, never hesitated to share and help anyone going through hard times. Farming and bringing up seven children during the depression wasn't enough for Josie. Josie's husband Ernest sold some of his cows to help purchase Josie's Three Sisters Restaurant which later became Josie's Spaghetti House, still at 906 Regent Street in downtown Madison. Besides being a successful business woman, Josie is best known as a big Italian woman who loved her family, food, friends and talk. Her heart was big enough for hundreds of people who became part of Josie's extended family. Josie lived a full and colorful life. She gave her love freely and left a better world than she entered. We mourn Josie's passing and give thanks for the blessing she was in our lives. Josie's last two years were spent at Four Winds Nursing Home where she was cared for during her last hours. Her family thanks those at Four Winds who made Josie's last years as comfortable as possible. Survivors include children, Mrs. Stanley (Pauline) Taylor, Madison, Mrs. John Elliot (Theresa) Elliott, Cahokia, Illinois, Rose Marie Segasture, Milwaukee, Franklin Schuepbach and Betty Bahr, McFarland, Mrs. Win (Butch) (Joanne) Jensen, Madison, and Mary Schiro, Phoenix; sister-in-law Mary Di Martino, San Jose, California; brothers, Sam Caruso and Phil Caruso, Madison; 28 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest, in 1979; two sons, Ernest Schuepbach in 1960, and John J. Schuepbach in 1984; and a daughter-in-law Dolores in 1984. Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 6, 1992 in the FITCH-LAWRENCE-SANFILLIPPO FUNERAL HOME, 6021 University Avenue. The Reverend Jon C. Schultz will officiate. Burial will be in Forest Hill cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday, April 5, 1992 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friends may also call on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services.

After the funeral luncheon, Josie's will be closed on Monday."

Johnson and State streets, renamed it the Three Sisters
The wonderful creator of Josie's Spaghetti House at 906 Regent St. She was also a part of the Three Sisters restaurant at the corner of Johnson and State Sts.

Wisconsin State Journal, Wednesday, June 29, 1988
"Taking risks paid off for Josie
by Marc Kornblatt
For the State Journal
'When you have to grow up as an orphan, you learn to take risks. I took risks.'

So says Josephine Schuepbach, when summing up her successful career as a Madison restauranteur. The 79-year-old great-grandmother will formally celebrate 45 years of 'professional cooking' Saturday afternoon at her restaurant, Josie's Spaghetti House, 906 Regent St.

Now retired - her daughter Joann Jensen currently manages the restaurant - Schuepbach (pronounced Shep-bock) says she began cooking in earnest when she was a child.

The second oldest of four sisters, she was born in Palermo, on the island of Sicily, in 1909, and arrived in Madison with her family when she was 2. Her father, Anthony Magnasco, was a construction worker.

'My mother died when I was 6 or 6 and my father had to put me in an orphanage in Milwaukee for about two years,' she recalled recently, while sipping a cup of cooffee in a back booth of her restaurant. 'After he brought me home I did most of the cooking for the family. My neighbors taught me.'

She attended school through eight grade and at 18 married Ernest Schuepbach, a farmer. Fifteen years later, during World War II, to help bring in more money, she decided to get a job off the farm. By then she had seven children.

Schuepbach worked as a cook at an Italian restaurant on Madison's West Side for several years before she took her first business risk.

Convincing her husband to mortgage his cattle, she raised $1,500 and joined forces with her sisters, Santina and Mary. They took over the College Inn at the corner of Johnson and State streets, renamed it the Three Sisters, renovated the kitchen and waited for customers to show up.

But nobody came.

'We were too far away from the university and there weren't many stores (on State Street) then,' said Schuepbach. 'We were losing our shirts.'

They closed the restaurant within a year.

As a cook and dining room manager, Schuepbach entered into several other partnerships, both formal and informal. By her own inexact reckoning (she lost all of her records in a fire a while back) she figures she got her husband to take out as many as six mortgages to help bankroll her over the years.

Their 1964 gamble together, the purchase of the stone-front building that is Josie's Spaghetti House, has paid off handsomely, according to the restaurant's namesake.

'We've had good business here,' she said. 'Everyone has been happy since I've been working on my own.'

On a recent weekday morning as the staff prepared for lunch, the atmosphere of the restaurant felt relaxed. Two waitresses sat smiling at a nearby table as Schuepbach recounted her life story. One of the Lorraine Shunk, has worked at Josie's since it opened.

'I don't know why I've stayed,' explained Shunk, with a twinkle in her eye. The others laughed. Then, more seriously, she added, 'I'm like a member of the family here.'

Ernest Schuepback died in 1979. His widow now lives alone on their farm, its mortgage secure, near Fitchburg. And she drives back and forth to the restaurant, where she likes to visit with staff and customers, in a Cadillac, proof of her hard work and successful entrepreneurship.

'We've has some good times and some bad times,' she said. 'I've enjoyed every bit of it.

"Toast to Josie on Saturday
On Saturday, between noon and 3 p.m., Josie's will have an open house to toast its founder. There will be a slide show featuring highlights from the guest of honor's life, a performance by an Italian dance troupe and food, compliments of the management. For more information call 256-5558."

Wisconsin State Journal, Saturday, April 4, 1992
"Schuepbach, Josephine Magnasco
MADISON -- Josephine Magnasco Schuepbach, age 82, died on April 3, 1992. She was born on September 15, 1909 in Palermo, Sicily. Josie's Italian mother and father were holding two-year-old Josie's hands as she stepped off the boat at Ellis Island. It was the beginning of a new life for a young Italian girl and her immigrant family. Little did little Josie know the difference she would make on the loves of hundreds of family friends and patrons in the next 80 years. Josie and her family moved close to relatives and friends in the thriving Italian 'Bush' district of Madison, Wisconsin. Five years later, her mother died after childbirth, leaving Josie to care for her family of five. Always the worker as a young teen-ager, she cleaned houses for Madison's most affluent citizens, while she cared and cooked for her brothers, sister, and father. At the age of 17, Josie was courted by New Glarus farmer, Ernest Schuepbach, who soon married her. Farming and raising seven children of her own during the depression was hard work yet Josie managed to take care of family members less fortunate than herself. Josie, as her friends and family will attest, never hesitated to share and help anyone going through hard times. Farming and bringing up seven children during the depression wasn't enough for Josie. Josie's husband Ernest sold some of his cows to help purchase Josie's Three Sisters Restaurant which later became Josie's Spaghetti House, still at 906 Regent Street in downtown Madison. Besides being a successful business woman, Josie is best known as a big Italian woman who loved her family, food, friends and talk. Her heart was big enough for hundreds of people who became part of Josie's extended family. Josie lived a full and colorful life. She gave her love freely and left a better world than she entered. We mourn Josie's passing and give thanks for the blessing she was in our lives. Josie's last two years were spent at Four Winds Nursing Home where she was cared for during her last hours. Her family thanks those at Four Winds who made Josie's last years as comfortable as possible. Survivors include children, Mrs. Stanley (Pauline) Taylor, Madison, Mrs. John Elliot (Theresa) Elliott, Cahokia, Illinois, Rose Marie Segasture, Milwaukee, Franklin Schuepbach and Betty Bahr, McFarland, Mrs. Win (Butch) (Joanne) Jensen, Madison, and Mary Schiro, Phoenix; sister-in-law Mary Di Martino, San Jose, California; brothers, Sam Caruso and Phil Caruso, Madison; 28 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest, in 1979; two sons, Ernest Schuepbach in 1960, and John J. Schuepbach in 1984; and a daughter-in-law Dolores in 1984. Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 6, 1992 in the FITCH-LAWRENCE-SANFILLIPPO FUNERAL HOME, 6021 University Avenue. The Reverend Jon C. Schultz will officiate. Burial will be in Forest Hill cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday, April 5, 1992 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friends may also call on Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services.

After the funeral luncheon, Josie's will be closed on Monday."

Johnson and State streets, renamed it the Three Sisters

Gravesite Details

Date of Burial: 4/6/1992, Military: none, Race: White,, Mrs. Ernest), Father: Anthony Magnasco, Mother: Theresa Dovi, Death Place: Verona, Dane Co. WI, Birth Place: Sicily, Cause:, Occupation: Restaurant Owner Ref: Cemetery Records



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  • Maintained by: Jade
  • Originally Created by: Graves
  • Added: Mar 11, 2012
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86590772/josephine-schuepbach: accessed ), memorial page for Josephine “Josie” Magnasco Schuepbach (15 Sep 1909–3 Apr 1992), Find a Grave Memorial ID 86590772, citing Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA; Maintained by Jade (contributor 46951936).