Margaret Josephs’ first husband, Jan Josephs, died “unexpectedly last week,” the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star announced Monday.
“Today would have been Jan’s 75th birthday,” Margaret captioned a black-and-white Instagram photo of her late former spouse. “He passed away unexpectedly last week and a piece of us died with him. We are heartbroken.”
Though the Bravolebrity, 55, did not reveal how Jan died, Page Six can confirm he suffered a fatal heart attack on Aug. 26.
Margaret said she and her ex “shared a beautiful conversation” the night before he passed in which they “bragged” about how “blessed” they felt to have children so “successful and happy.”
“We spoke everyday [sic], he was my family,” she shared, going on to call Jan “an amazing father, grandfather, friend [and] partner to his girlfriend.”
She added, “He loved everyone unconditionally, he loved Motown, working out and Italian food, but most of all he loved his family.”
As for the picture she selected for her online tribute, Margaret explained it was “one of his favorites” and said she felt it captured his “youthful spirit.”
“Happy Birthday my angel 🙏🙏🙏💔💔,” she concluded.
Margaret’s friend and co-star, Dolores Catania, was one of the first people to comment on the post, writing, “Happy heavenly birthday Jan ❤️i hear the oldies playin from here 😇🙌.”
Margaret married Jan — who was already dad to three children ages 8 to 16 — in 1994. They went on to have one son.
The fashion designer has spoken candidly about how her affair with her current husband — her then-contractor, Joe Benigno — contributed to her split from Jan and caused tension in her relationships with her kids.
“They have healed and all came together this past week to celebrate Jan’s life,” an insider tells us exclusively.
In 2013, the same year Margaret and Jan finalized their divorce, she said “I do” to Benigno, 68.
“I’m sorry the way it went down,” the “RHONJ” star told People in 2018. “But no one leaves a happy marriage.”
“Our marriage was way over before Joe walked in the picture,” she added. “Jan knows what happened, and we’re good friends … we’re still a team.”