Walter John Schulze

Walter John Schulze
Walter John Schulze of Highland Road, Bethlehem and Ocala, Fla., died very suddenly on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 23, 2006, in Bethlehem. He was the husband of Bonita "Bonnie" (Penso) Schulze. Walter was born in Terryville on October 14, 1928 in the parsonage of Holy Trinity Church where his father Paul O. Schulze was pastor. He was also the son of Gertrude (Fischer) Schulze.
He attended school in Bristol and Bethel graduating from Bethel High School. He worked at the Hotel Green and the Barden Corporation before moving to St. Louis to attend Harris Teacher's College. He returned to the East and graduated from the American Academy of Funeral Service, New York City, while working at Payne Whitney Clinic, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center.
After he married, he lived and worked in Greenwich at the Reilly Funeral Home and then at Alderson Funeral Homes in Waterbury. He was hired in a pilot project as a Unit Manager at Waterbury Hospital before moving back to New York working as the ward manager for The Neurological Institute, Columbia University Medical Center. He completed his bachelor's degree at St. Francis College, Brooklyn, N.Y. He returned to Bristol to take over his uncle Robert Petke's funeral home and was the owner/manager for 25 years of the Schulze-Petke Funeral Home. He retired from funeral service in 2005. He was an inactive member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bristol.
Walt is survived by his wife Bonnie; five brothers and sisters, the Rev. Paul E. Schulze and his wife Gertrud (Hahn) Schulze, Ocala, Fla., Mrs. Gertrude Tilton of Peterborough, N.H., Irene and her husband Wilbur Erhardt, Ocala, Fla., Robert and Carolyn (Paulis) Schulze, Brookfield, and Stuart, Fla., and Anita L. Polubinski, Danbury. He was Uncle Walt to 12 nieces and nephews and 16 grandnieces and grandnephews. He also leaves his beloved dog, Noelle, and many longtime friends.
There will be a Celebration of Walt's Life on December 10 at 4 p.m. at the First Church of Bethlehem, UCC, Main Street, Bethlehem, conducted by the Rev. Pamela Briddle, Pastor and his nephew the Rev. Christopher Schulze, Brooklyn, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations made be made to: The Hand Bell Choir, c/o Rick Wood, First Church of Bethlehem, UCC, Main Street, Bethlehem, CT 06751 (or) The Richard Keane Foundation, P.O.B. 290742, Wethersfield, CT 06129-0742, www.keanefoundation.org and donations can be made on the Web site, using Paypal. Richard Keane lost his life on 9/11 and the foundation was begun to raise money for a Sports Complex/Community Center for young people in Wethersfield, or choose another charity of your choice.
Services have been arranged by Dunn Funeral Home, 191 West St., Bristol. Private burial at the family's convenience. www.Dunnfh.com.