Josephine M. Fastner was born at Solka, Kreis Suczawa, Bukovina, Austrian Empire (now Romania). Her parents were Wenzel Fastner and Catherine Mary Niga. The family emigrated to the USA, beginning their journey on May 23, 1887, arriving at the port of New York on June 18, 1887.

Josephine was married to George E. Schopf on February 11, 1903 at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Athens, Marathon County, Wisconsin. From a newspaper article dated Feb. 12, 1903 (Athens Record): "The couple will go to Canada where they have relatives and there make their home." (It was Schopf relatives that lived in Saskatchewan, Canada.)

The Schopf family is listed in the Canadian Census: 1906 at post office Weirhill, District Souris, province Saskatchewan; 1911 at Sub-District 13 in Assiniboia, province Saskatchewan. On the same page of the 1911 census were names of the Fieber family who traveled from Bukovina with the Fastner family. The Fiebers and Schopfs had met in Wisconsin and traveled to Canada together.

George Schopf and Josephine Fastner had at least 10 children. The first six were born in Lampman, Saskatchewan, Canada: Wilhelm (William), George John, John, Frederick, Clara Ann, Joseph John. The next three were born in Shaw, Marion County, Oregon: Theodore George, Helen Marie, Edward Theodore. The last child, Josephine Theresa, was born in Salem, Marian County, Oregon.

George farmed on a fruit farm at Salem, Oregon (Waldo Hills Fruit Farm No. 3 in 1917). The 1920 US Census lists the family in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, where George farmed in the fruit farm industry.

Until the Great Depression, George Schopf owned a store and made his own beer in Shaw, Marion County, Oregon. In 1925, they lived at 704 Ellis Ave in Portland, Oregon. In 1938, they were living in Portland at 3122 SE 9th Ave. On April 27, 1942, George registered for the draft at Portland.

At the time of the 1950 census, George and Josephine lived at 11715 S E Raymond Street, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon. In 2022, that address no longer existed and was near Raymond City Park.

At the time of her death, Josephine was living at 8509 SE Tolman, Portland, Oregon. The funeral cortege left the Chapel of Mt. Scott Funeral Home and traveled to St. Peters Church (SE 87th and Woodstock) where a requiem Mass was held. Interment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Portland, Oregon.