AGNEW — Even before she became the victim of an apparent homicide in her own home Tuesday night, Josephine “Josie” Lejeune faced enormous life challenges, say neighbors who knew her.
The woman’s mother, Florence Lejeune, is an Alzheimer’s disease patient who until last year was a resident at Dungeness Courte Alzheimer’s Care Facility in Sequim.
Josie, 55, had health problems of her own, suffering from throat cancer that led to a laryngectomy about three years earlier, according to Joan Simpson.
Simpson is a former neighbor of Lejeune’s who had for a short time assumed power of attorney over Flo Lejeune’s financial affairs before Josie moved from another state into her mother’s home on Osborn Road to care for her.
Josie had lost her voice in more ways than one, said Simpson, who ended up relinquishing that legal status to Josie at the behest of the woman’s boyfriend, Steve Skrzynski.
Even an employee at Dungeness Courte noticed the discord in Josie’s relationship with Skrzynski.