Joann Sepulveda

Joann Sepulveda of Warwick, N.Y., a retired homemaker, has died. She was 70.
Daughter of the late Robert Magnavita and Connie Benedetto, she was born Aug. 22, 1946, in Brooklyn, N.Y. She was predeceased by her husband, Sixto.
A family statement read: "I can recall my mom sharing a story of a date night she had with my father. It was only fitting that they had gone to see Rocky. The story of an underdog fighter is the story of my mother's life. No matter what life threw at her, she never gave up. She took life's punches and kept on moving forward. Life knocked her down, but she always got back up. So it was no surprise, as she entered her final round this week, that her family and friends stood on their feet and cheered her on, to fight as hard as she could, if only for 1 more round. She put up a brave fight, gathered all her strength she had and gave life hell, just 1 last time. While she might not have won by a knockout, with God in her corner, we know she won the unanimous decision. We all could not be more proud of the effort.
"Our mother gave us many gifts in life. A fighting spirit. A sense of humor. A love of food. But most importantly, she taught us to fight harder when we are down. Never, ever give up!"
Survivors include her children, Leonard Torres and his wife, Samantha, of Sayre, Pa., Charles Torres of Garfield, N.J., Lisa Smith and her husband, David, of Florida, Michael Sepulveda and his wife, Jessica, of Warwick, N.Y., Kimberly Schaffer and her husband, Paul Schaffer, of Milford, Pa., and DawnMarie Sepulveda of Milford, Pa.; grandchildren, Maria, Tiffany, Nicole, Danielle, Josh, Mellisa, Brendina, Roman, Charlie, Johnathan, Jasmin, Christian, Masen, Lucas and her "Uggy" Braiden; and great-grandchildren, Cassiel, Damien, Layla and her newest, Declan.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated July 29 at St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church in Warwick. Burial followed in St. Stephen's Cemetery in Warwick.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.