Obituary of Madeline C. Schultz

Madeline Carol Schultz née Preli (84) of South Glastonbury, CT passed away peacefully on October 23, 2024 after a prolonged illness. Born to George Washington “Topper” Preli and Rose Cavanna Preli on May 18, 1940, she was a lifelong resident of Matson Hill in South Glastonbury. She spent her early years attending the High Street School and working summers in the orchards picking and selling fruit. She graduated from Glastonbury High School in 1958, where she served as class secretary. In 1960, she married her high school sweetheart, Willis “Butch” Schultz, and together they had two children. She spent many years working for her family’s business (Preli Appliance) and other local businesses before finding her passion for real estate. With the support of her cousin, Charles, she obtained her licenses as a realtor and a commercial real estate appraiser. Her career as an appraiser carried her on many trips across Connecticut and the US. One of her favorite roles was as a regional vice president of Washington Mutual Bank, and she was beloved by her coworkers for hosting pizza lunches and the occasional office-wide water gun fight. Madeline had a passion for the arts, particularly musicals, and she frequented the Shubert, the Bushnell and the Goodspeed Opera House. Creative and blessed with a keen sense of fashion, she was known to make her own home decor and was even voted “best dressed” in her high school class. She was also a proud breast cancer survivor and enjoyed raising money for cancer research. Above all, Madeline was dedicated to her family and friends. She valued family traditions like making homemade raviolis with the entire extended family. An amazing hostess, she was known for her Christmas Eve parties and homemade Sunday dinners. She opened her heart to everyone she welcomed into her home, and was a second mother and “bonus” grandma to too many friends and neighbors to name. She spent her retirement traveling with her dear friends Ken and Nancy LaPier, enjoying the Elks club with her cousin Charles Cavanna and his fiancé Kathryn Ferrari, and cherishing time with her sister Elaine and cousin Dale. Madeline’s family would like to sincerely thank all those who helped to care for her in her later years, including her dedicated caregivers Juliana Diaz and Millie Vrooman, and the compassionate staff at Mapleview Rehab Center in Rocky Hill. She was predeceased by her parents George and Rose, her brother George A. Preli, and her brothers-in-law Wesley Fortier and Frank Manfreda Jr. She will be forever cherished in the memories of her son Gary Schultz and his wife Cathy; her daughter Cindy (Schultz) LaPier and her husband Kenneth; her grandchildren Benjamin, Hannah, Scott and Jennifer; her sister Elaine Fortier and her sister-in-law Dorothy Preli; her former husband Willis Schultz and his wife Lois; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and neighbors whose lives she touched. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 10:00 am in SS Isidore and Maria Parish at St. Augustine Church, 55 Hopewell Road, South Glastonbury. Burial of ashes will follow in St. Augustine Cemetery, South Glastonbury. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Madeline’s honor. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com