-
Nina (Catherine) Culetsu Shaw
Nina (Catherine) Culetsu Shaw, age 74 of Fairfield, succumbed to a lengthy and courageous battle with lung cancer on Thursday, August 13, 2015.
Nina was born June 16, 1941 in Bridgeport, CT to the late James Culetsu and Mary Moran Culetsu. She was the devoted and cherished mother of David Brandon Shaw of Fairfield, and the late Andrew Marcus Shaw (May 30, 1967 – August 10, 2010) also of Fairfield. She was a Bridgeport native, graduating from Bassick High in 1959.
Nina resided with her children in Boston, MA, Hampton Beach, NH, Santa Monica, CA and later returned to the area and made a life, business and together with her parents and family, a loving and stable home for her children.
Nina was the co-founder and proud proprietor of the Henry Travel Agency, Heritage Square in Fairfield. After many memorable years in Heritage Square, she moved the agency to the Sidetracks Building and the fun continued. Nina loved her business, merrily sending people on vacations, honeymoons and business trips, and above all, taking her own trips whenever time permitted. She had never-ending stories of her travels / adventures. Notably, falling asleep while journalist Charles Kuralt was attempting to regale her with his long-winded yarns on a flight from LAX to JFK, getting stuck on an elevator in a hotel in Toronto with Billy Idol (she wasn’t quite sure who he was but it eventually came to her) or almost being booted out of First Class on a flight from San Juan to JFK because Boy George and the Culture Club wanted it all to themselves. Guess who won that one? Nobody put Nina in Coach, except Nina. After selling the agency, Nina went on to become the Director of Credit & Collections for many years at Call Peter, Inc. in Stratford, CT. I
n retirement, she worked part-time with her beloved second family at Leon Galemba & Sons Carting Co. in Black Rock and with her friends at Penny/Dell Publications in Norwalk, CT.
Nina is survived by her doting and very much loved sister, Joan Culetsu Kalakay (John) of Bridgeport, amazing and quite talented niece, Jaime Kalakay O’ Connell (Chris) of Nantucket, MA, granddaughter, Kayla Shaw, close cousins and dear friends, Jo-Ann Friberg of Milford, Chris Friberg of Black Rock, Mary-Ann Ondy (Edward) and their son, Alex of Milford, Voni Fatse (George) of Easton, Christine Fatsy of Fairfield, John Culetsu of Las Vegas and the Poconos, Sylvia Culetsu of Bridgeport, Debra Sylvia of Fairfield, Nora Hoag of Huntington and Anne Chanaca Nastu of Bridgeport.
In addition to her parents and son, Nina was predeceased by her sister, Elizabeth Culetsu Fitzgerald of Bridgeport, young nephew, Jason J. Kalakay, also of Bridgeport and former husband, Paul K. Shaw of Sutter Creek, CA and Boston, MA. Friends may greet the family on Saturday, August 22, 2015 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at St. Dimitrie Romanian Orthodox Church, 504 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT. A Memorial Service celebrating Nina’s life will immediately follow. Final arrangements were provided by the Parente-Lauro Funeral Home, 559 Washington Ave., Bridgeport. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.
To sign an online guest book or to send private condolences please visit http://www.parentelauro.com
-
0 Replies
Sorry, there were no replies found.
Log in to reply.