02/16/2026
TINTON FALLS, NJ - Colleen Ann Fasulo (née Plette), 71, died February 14, 2026, after a long illness. She leaves behind her husband, Robert; her brother Kevin (Kate); three kind and hilarious children: Michael (Nancy Ellwood), Matthew, and Michelle (Eric Ouimette); and five beloved grandchildren: Fiona, James, Anna, Melissa, and Kaitlin.
Colleen was born in Leominster, MA, a town she held dear in her heart. Raised alongside aunts, uncles, and cousins, she was born into the mentality that “family” means love, openness, friendship, and support—no matter what.
When Colleen was young, the Plette family moved to Corinth, New York, where Colleen’s father, Archille (former Lt. Colonel in the Army National Guard), worked at the Arrow Shirt Factory, and her mother, Cecile, got to work building a new network of close friends.
Colleen attended Corinth schools and played cello. In 1973, she connected with hometown hero Robert Fasulo, a recent West Point graduate just starting his career in the Army. In January 1974, they got married and welcomed their first child, Michael.
Together Colleen and Robert embarked on an extraordinary Army life, welcoming two more children—Matt and Michelle—along the way. They lived in New York, Germany (Hanau, Bad Kreuznach, and Heilbronn), Kansas, Georgia, California, Maryland, Turkey, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and finally New Jersey, where Robert retired from Fort Monmouth.
Colleen made the most of the Army life. She explored every new city (visiting castles, exploring the Mediterranean, touring salt mines, shopping along the way) and got the kids involved in art, little league, basketball, volleyball, skateboarding, snowboarding, and more. She worked as a preschool teacher (in Turkey), at a winery (in Germany), ran a thrift store (also Germany), and was always a guiding light for other young moms navigating life in the Army. Some of those other moms became the dearest of friends and stayed in close contact even when stations changed and they moved away.
The past twenty-six years in New Jersey had been full of joy for Colleen. Her community was rich with friends, complete with visits and dinners, weekends in the city, and cocktail hours on one another’s back decks with plenty of cosmos, margaritas, and lobster salad for everyone. All three children settled in the northeast and blessed Colleen and Robert with five grandchildren: Fiona, a student at Fordham University; James, a high school sophomore and student of jiu jitsu; Anna, a sixth-grader and dancer; Melissa, a mom of two and an operator tech at Gore; and Kaitlin, a new mom and dental treatment coordinator. Being their Memere had been the greatest joy of Colleen’s life. No activity was too trivial or exhausting, no recipe too complicated, no toy forbidden, no request not granted. As their parents learned quickly, there was no fighting “Memere’s Rules.” When you were in Colleen’s house, you stepped back and let her love with abandon.
Colleen’s recent years had not been easy as her health deteriorated. Still, that didn’t stop her from making sure every visit was special, full of food and stories and laughter and love. Anyone who knew Colleen knew the stalwart friend she was. She would like all of us to continue that legacy: one of love and friendship and welcoming, wherever we go.
The family is planning a memorial service in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Corinth Free Library, 89 Main Street, Corinth, NY 12822. (518) 654-6913, or to a charity of your choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Densmore Funeral Home, Inc., 7 Sherman Ave., Corinth, New York.