Joseph Salorino

Joseph John Salorino, age 79, after a courageous battle with cancer and with his family by his side, passed away peacefully on December 31, 2014 at his residence. The son of the late Giuseppe and Florence D’Amico Salorino, Joe was born in Erie, PA on September 5, 1935.

Joe was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was devoted to his family and to his church, St. Stephen’s Lutheran, where he enjoyed serving as soloist, psalmist, mentor, and councilman. He loved music and singing, especially barbershop. Joe was an avid tennis player and enjoyed playing the sport with many of his friends. He was a fan of the New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys. He found joy in mowing the fields of his friend, Bob Stewart, on Bob’s big John Deere tractor. Joe never passed up an opportunity to tell a bad joke.

Joe learned the printing trade at Erie Technical High School, from where he graduated in 1953. He began his career as a co-op student at Thomas Printing. He continued his career at Ashby Printing and Erie Printing and then the Erie Times News where he worked for 38 years until his retirement in 2000.

In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Debra Rene`; his brothers, Jesse Salorino (Francis) and Michael Salorino (Barbara); his sisters, Lucy Calabrese (Albert), Mary DeWolf (Frank), and Jenny Zawistoski (Leonard); his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Arthur and Evelyn Adams.

Joe leaves behind to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 58 years, Arlene Adams Salorino; a sister, Libra Schigas; two sons, Joseph R. Salorino, Sr. (Linda St. Jean) and Thomas B. Salorino (Theresa); a daughter, Tamara Salorino Fenno (Christopher). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Debra L. Salorino (Nicholas Golembiewski), Joseph R. Salorino, Jr. (Lisa Gonzalez-Soto), Rachel Modzelewski Bailey (Raymond), Gary A. Modzelewski, Hannah Modzelewski, and Shannon Salorino; great-grandchildren, Brayden J. A. Salorino, Ariana E. Bailey, and Aiden J. Salorino; brother-in-law, Charles Adams (Viola); sisters-in-law, Trudy Henderson (Mike Wertz), and Gail Woodruff (Scott); many nieces and nephews and a family friend, Lisa Scalzitti. Joe will be lovingly remembered by his family and friends.

Family and friends may call at the Burton Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 602 West 10th Street on Friday, Jan 2nd from 2pm until 5pm and again from 7pm until 9pm, and are invited to join the family there between 9am and 10am on Saturday, Jan 3rd for viewing and prayers. Services will take place Saturday at 11am at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 940 East 22nd Street. He will be laid to rest at Erie County Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made to Cody’s Wheels of Hope PO Box 8735

Erie, PA 16505, St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, and Great Lakes Hospice 1700 Peach Street, Erie, PA 16501.