Vitale, Schutte, Whiteley: Recent Death Notices From Monroe

MONROE, CT — Recent death notices from Monroe.

Denise Schutte, 61, passed away unexpectedly on Mar. 8, 2025; a longtime cafeteria worker at Fawn Hollow Elementary School, she enjoyed gardening, boating, concerts, ghost stories, country music, and spending summers by the pool or at Home Depot.

Donald B. Whiteley, 86, passed away peacefully on Mar. 8, 2025; a U.S. Air Force veteran and longtime Senior Avionics Designer at Sikorsky Aircraft, he was active in the Monroe Lions Club, American Legion, and Connecticut Antique Machinery Association, and enjoyed antique engines, yardwork, fishing, westerns, and restoring his 1930 Model A Ford.

Francis “Fran” Vitale, 82, passed away peacefully on Mar. 2, 2025; a pharmacist and longtime owner of Riccio’s Drug Store, he was an avid fisherman and boater, active in several yacht clubs including Miamogue, and enjoyed caring for hummingbirds and sharing laughs with those around him.

Lola Eva Volpe Hudak, 99, died in her sleep on Mar. 2, 2025; a former hairstylist and manicurist who worked into her eighties, she was a skilled seamstress, baker, garden club member, and avid reader who enjoyed caring for children, collecting recipes, and had a lifelong admiration for elephants.

Carl Theodore Piazza, 84, passed away on Feb. 19, 2025; a U.S. Army veteran with a business degree from Quinnipiac, he built a career in television, film, and Broadway acting.

Kenneth P. Post, 65, passed away on Feb. 11, 2025; owner of Post Industries and graduate of Norwalk Technical College, he enjoyed fishing, collecting historical artifacts and art, and was active in Monroe Congregational Church and Washington Lodge No. 19.