Joseph Monarca

NAUGATUCK- Mr. Joseph Monarca, 67, of Naugatuck, passed away unexpectedly early Monday afternoon Sept. 26, 2011 at the Waterbury Hospital. He was the husband of Judith (Nystrom) Monarca.

Mr. Monarca was born in Middletown, Oct 28, 1943 a son of the late Salvatore and Josephine (Branciforte) Monarca and had been a Naugatuck resident for the past 11 years, formerly living in Seymour for 23 years. He was a graduate of Vinal Regional Technical School in Middletown, and was a retired employee of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. of Stratford, retiring in 2010 after 30 years of service. He was a member of the Beacon Falls Congregational Church.

Joe was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and brother. Family meant everything to him. His beautiful granddaughters were the loves of his life and when he found out he was going to have a grandson (born this August) you couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He was always eager to help people out and could be counted on to be there when you needed him. He enjoyed both fresh and salt water fishing and was a member of the Quaker Farms RC Club. He enjoyed working in the yard and building RC boat models. Over the years Joe was very active in church activities including Chairing the Board of Trustees, helping at the Christmas Bazaar, making homemade jam with the 'ladies' of the church, and participating in the Angel Tree. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

Besides his wife of 47 years, he leaves one son, Joel Monarca of Waterbury, 2 daughters Susan Monarca of Seymour, and Judith Davis and her husband David of Brighton, MA; 2 brothers, Salvatore Monarca of Derby and Carl Monarca of Cromwell; 3 sisters Philomena Carta and her husband Vincent of Spring Hill, FL, Sandra Bradbury of Cromwell, and Rose Daniels and her husband Howard of Colchester; 4 granddaughters, Jessica Monarca, Brittany Brassell, Gabrielle Brassell, and Emma Davis; one grandson, Kaelen Davis. He is also survived by several aunts and uncles, numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and cousins.

His funeral service will be held on Saturday Oct. 1, 2011 at 10 a.m. at the Beacon Falls Congregational Church, 69 Wolfe Ave., Beacon Falls. Burial will follow in Grove Cemetery, Cross St., Naugatuck. Friends may call at the Alderson Funeral Home of Naugatuck, 201 Meadow St. (RT 63), Naugatuck, on Friday Sept. 30, 2011 from 5 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to make memorial donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38195