Josephine Mrad, 77, of 150 Thompson Drive SE died Friday, July 21, 2006 at Mercy Medical Center after a short illness.  Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 25, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church with Fr. Mark Osterhaus presiding.  Burial will follow in St. George Orthodox Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 24 at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids, where there will be a 7 p.m. Rosary service.

Josephine was born March 4, 1929 in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Nimmer and Amelia Shadid Mrad.  She worked for over 45 years as a waitress for many restaurants in the Cedar Rapids area, including the Flame Room, Monty's, Rag Top Diner, the Royal Fork, and the Indian House.  She also worked at Nick's Fine Foods, Ethan Allen, and as the manager of Armstrong's Beauty Salon.  Most recently she had been a ticket attendant for the Carmike 7 Theaters in Cedar Rapids.  She was a "Cedar Rapids service icon."

Josephine is survived by her sisters Blanche Zakaib of Cedar Rapids, Kay Thomassen of Jacksonville, Florida, Ruth Hashim of Toledo, Ohio, and Jennie (Ed) Thomas of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; nine nieces and nephews and eight great nieces and nephews.  Preceding her in death were her parents.

Memorials may be directed to the either St. George Cemetery Fund or St. Matthew's Catholic Church.