Josie Sanctis Obituary, Death – Josie Lynn Sanctis, 38, died quietly on December 5th, 2022, from Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a rare side consequence of her valiant battle with osteosarcoma. She was born on July 11th, 1984 in Greensboro, North Carolina to Dean White and Lynn Norris. Appalachian State University awarded Josie a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in chemistry. On October 23, 2010, she married Andrew Sanctis, the love of her life. She depleted herself rather than building herself up for the benefit of others. Her presence was commanding, but her approach to every meeting was empathetic and gracious.
Josie was well-known for her steadfast faith, love for her family, and servant’s heart. Despite her cancer, she lived her faith beautifully and took strength from Jesus and her favorite saints (St. Therese Lisieux, St. Benedict, The Blessed Mother Mary, St. Rose, and St. Gianna Beretta Molla). Josie stressed her faith by attending Mass with her family every Sunday, front and center, even when she was sick. the number of people who live in the United States plus the United Kingdom plus the amount of money in comparison to the number of people who live in the United States plus the amount of money in comparison to the total number of people on the planet. She was a fierce competitor who relished a good challenge. Josie could always see the beauty (and humor) in life despite whatever she was carrying. She preferred true friendships over frivolous banter. She was a wonderful wife and mother who valued that duty above all else.
Josie’s children, Amelia, Joanna, Thomas, and Joseph, inspired her to join the board of MiraVia, a safe refuge and source of hope for young unwed expectant mothers and their children. Josie, in addition to being a working mother, worked with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in 2018 to raise nearly $50,000 for research into a cure for the cancer that took her life. She was also named Mrs. North Carolina in 2013 to promote awareness for trichotillomania and thereafter served on the board of the TLC Foundation for BFRB’s for 5 years. She worked as a camp counselor at Christian summer camp Camp Lurecrest.
She was an active member of Saint Gabriel’s Church and the school community, most recently serving on the Spiritual Growth Committee. Serving and caring for others was a genuine divine calling to which Josie responded with fervor and grace. Josie will be missed greatly, but there is peace in knowing that her death should be viewed as her presence in Heaven rather than her absence on Earth. Josie is survived by her husband Andrew and their four children, Amelia, Joanna, Thomas, and Joseph; her parents, Dean White (Ivonne) and Lynn Norris (Jay); her sister, Julie White; and a great number of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends.
The Vigil/Visitation will take place on Thursday, December 15th from 5:00-7:00pm at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC. The funeral Mass will be held on Friday, December 16th at 12:00pm noon at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC, and will be livestreamed at www.stgabrielchurch.org/livefunerals. In place of flowers, please consider donating to Sanctis Children Education Fund https://app.backer.com/sanctiseducationfund or MiraVia https://miravia.org/donate.
