Obituary of Josephine Menko

Josephine (Krol) Menko, 94, of Glastonbury passed away on Sunday, February 24, 2019.

Josephine was born December 4, 1924 on her parents Dairy Farm in Rocky Hill, CT. The fifth of seven children, she was no stranger to hard work; milking cows before going to Wethersfield High School, driving the hay truck, and later, her first job at Aetna Insurance.

A Church picnic in the summer of 1942, led her to meet Joseph Menko of Warehouse Point, CT. Following the advice that “a good Polish girl finds a good Polish boy and gets married,” they embarked on a journey together that would last nearly 67 years; until his death in 2013.

Those good Polish kids had sisters and brothers, and soon three Krol sisters were married to three Menko brothers and living in a three family house in East Hartford, CT; raising children and playing in the family polka band – The Menko Orchestra.

Being the vocalist for the orchestra for more than 50 years; Josephine was able to pursue her passion for singing in both English and Polish. She handmade her elaborate gowns to wear on stage and playfully said her favorite color was “14kt gold.”

Joe and Josephine moved to Glastonbury, CT with their two children in 1959; building their own home with plenty of room for gardening, another one of Josephine’s passions. Working for J.B. Williams and retiring from the Glastonbury Board of Education in 1969, hard working Josephine joked that “they hired three people for my job when I left.” Retirement allowed her time to devote to growing and canning vegetables and cultivating beautiful flowers for dried arrangements.

Josephine has joined her parents, John and Mary Krol; sisters Helen Kowalczyk and Mary Menko; brothers Eddie and Stanley Krol; son-in-law Larry Hamlin; and her beloved husband Joe. She is survived by her children Robert (Theresa) Menko of Whately, MA, and Marilyn (Michael) Hamlin Longo of Glastonbury; grandchildren Chrissi, Bobby (Shannon), Jessica (Jamie), Joseph, Michelene, David and Marjorie; great grandchildren Sarah, Alex, Sofia, Mario, Jillian and Piper, and sisters Irena Menko and Florence Gladczuk, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 1, 2019 at 10:00 am at the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am at St. Augustine Church, South Glastonbury. Burial will be in St. Augustine Cemetery. Family and friends may call on Thursday from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the funeral home.