Josephine Stula, 100, formerly of East Hartford, CT, passed away peacefully at her home of two years, Vintage Park in Overland Park, KS on February 23, 2019. She was born June 9, 1918 in Waterbury, CT, to Frank and Amelia Loika. She was the oldest of four children and became the translator between home and school for her family, where Polish was spoken. As she learned to read she handled bills and other activities needed to run a household. Josephine was widowed after 60 years of marriage to Thomas Stula.
Retired from the Connecticut State Labor Department, she enjoyed watching sports. Josephine was a fan of women's basketball with UConn being her favorite team. She loved to play bingo and was a frequent participant 4 or 5 times per week. She continued to pursue her hobby when she moved to assisted living. Josephine was a communicant of St. Mary's Church in East Hartford and belonged to the CT State Retirees Union, Women's Democratic Club, and AARP. She was a past Regent of Daughters of Isabella.
Josephine is survived by her son, Robert Stula and wife, Trudy, of Leawood, KS; grandsons Matthew Stula and wife, Michelle, of Lindsborg, KS, and Marshall Stula and wife, Sarah, of Lawrence, KS. She looked forward to visits from her great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Stula and they met for the first time on her 100th birthday when Kaitlyn was three months old. She had many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews whom she loved very much. Josephine was predeceased by her son, Kenneth, her brothers, Edward Loika and William Loika, and her sister, Helen Bill.
Services for Josephine will be at 11:00 am Friday, March 8, 2019, at St. Mary's Church located at 15 Maplewood Avenue, East Hartford. Graveside service will follow at Silver Lane Cemetary located at 1280 Silver Lane in East Hartford. Visitation will be held Friday, March 8, from 8:30-10:30 am at Benjamin J. Callahan Funeral Home located at 318 Burnside Avenue in East Hartford. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Church in East Hartford. For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.Callahanfuneral.com.
