Christiana Joseph's Obituary
Christiana “Irene” Joseph, age 91, passed away peacefully on 06/01/2025. She was born to the late Rosena and Joseph Douglas on December 25th, 1933, in Tabaquite, Trinidad, West Indies. She was married to the late Francis “Septimus” Joseph in 1960. Christiana is survived by her son Francis, daughter-in-law Kay, granddaughter Nia, her sister Hetti “Olive,” and several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her sisters Evelyn, Popolite, Carmen, Vitalis, and brother Timothy.
Affectionately known as Miss Irene, she started working at a very young age as a domestic worker in the residence of the oil fields of Point A Pierre in San Fernando. Through an introduction by their cousins, Christiana met her lifelong partner. Together they settled in Laventille, Trinidad before she migrated to the United States in 1978. Upon arriving in Brooklyn, NY, she took on many roles including housekeeping and eventually becoming a certified Home Health Aide, because her only goal was to have her family with her. In 1982, her husband, Francis Joseph (lovingly known as Uncle Septie), and son, Francis, joined her in New York. After several years in New York, they relocated to Houston, Texas, and soon after Miami, Florida. After her husband passed, Christiana moved to Tampa in 2016 to be closer to her son and his family.
Christiana enjoyed bargain shopping with her sister Vitalis, which they called retail therapy. They would spend all day in one store and successfully purchase NOTHING. As a devoted Christian, she was not one to debate the Bible with you, because you would not win. She loved listening to the gospel every day, but she found joy and happiness in the high-energy filled praise and worship Christian churches. In her final years, her favorite pastime was catching up on the phone with her nieces and nephews and loved sharing family stories with all of us. Christiana’s infectious laughter would brighten anyone's day, and her unwavering faith inspired those around her.
Christiana will be dearly missed by all who knew her. She will be remembered as a true, loyal friend and a generous person. She loved encouraging people to be strong, have faith in God, and stand up for what is right. We ask you to join us in celebrating her life and the love and sacrifices she made for her family and those around her. Her family asks that she be remembered for her generosity and strong faith, and not the sadness of her passing.
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