Ellen Bulzone

Ellen Marie Bulzone, age 96, of Staten Island, New York, died in her home on March 24, 2019.

Ellen was born near Balbec, Jay County, Indiana, on March 10, 1923, the oldest of George and Edwina Hanlin’s six children. A graduate of Gov. I.P. Gray High School, she left Jay County in 1943 to join the U.S. Naval Reserves and serve in World War II. She enlisted in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), training at Hunter College’s Bronx campus in New York City and in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She served at the Sampson Naval Training Base on Seneca Lake, New York, and at the Brooklyn (New York) Receiving Station. She retired from the Naval Reserves as a chief yeoman in 1946. 

While in the Navy, Ellen met Charles Bulzone, an officer from Brooklyn. They married in 1946 and eventually settled on Staten Island, where they operated the Boulevard Travel agency from 1968 to 2001. Working in the travel industry allowed them to see the world and brought them great joy. After selling her agency, Ellen continued serving as a part-time travel consultant, working at Staten Island Travel until her death. 

In addition to her work, Ellen was involved in a number of veterans’ organizations and was a member of the Pennville American Legion for more than 60 years. She participated in the Silver Sneakers program at the Staten Island South Shore YMCA and enjoyed reading, cooking and spending time with friends and family.

Ellen was the mother of two children, Donald and Marisa, both deceased. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Charles; her parents, George Hanlin Sr. and Edwina (Edmundson) Hanlin; and her siblings George Hanlin Jr. and Carolyn (Hanlin) Hoffacker.

Survivors include a grandson, Christopher Bulzone (wife: Celina, sons: Caden and Hendrix) of Westerly, Rhode Island; a granddaughter, Jennifer Bluth (husband: Kyle, son: James) of Staten Island, New York; two sisters, Nina (Hanlin) Stultz of Montpelier, Indiana, and Martha (Hanlin) Kimmel of LaOtto, Indiana; a brother, John Hanlin of Pennville, Indiana; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held on Staten Island in April. Interment will take place at the Twin Hills I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Pennville. Memorials may be directed to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation.