Joanne Saltamartini, 80
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. â€' Joanne Angela Saltamartini, 80, of 83 Furnace St. died Saturday, May 11, 2013, at North Adams Regional Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born in North Adams on April 7, 1933, daughter of Giuseppe (Joseph) and Nicolina Filicetti Mancuso, she graduated from Drury High School with the class of 1951 and also from Springfield College and then North Adams State College.
Mrs. Saltamartini became a preschool teacher in 1965 with the Berkshire County Head Start Program, where she worked for 40 years until her retirement. She was also the first person honored as its Employee of the Year. She first worked at the former W.T. Grant Store and former Sprague Electric Co.
She was a communicant of the former St. Anthony of Padua Church and a former member of its Children of Mary. She was a charter member of the St. Anthony Carnival Committee and was a member of the St. Anthony Parish Council and its finance committee. She was also a founder and charter member of the LaFesta di San Antonio committee and a member of its board of directors. She was a member and officer of the former Haskins School Parent-Teacher Association; a den mother for the local Cub Scout troop; and a member of the North Adams Sons of Italy.
Mrs. Saltamartini was the co-chairman of the Class of 1951 Reunion Committee and enjoyed her monthly luncheons with her classmates. She was devoted to her family and enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also loved working with the young children at her job with Head Start.
Her husband, Anthony Angelo Saltamartini, whom she while working at Sprague, died on Nov. 29, 1999. They were married on Oct. 4, 1952.
She leaves a daughter, Lisa Davis and her husband, Thomas, of Manchester, Conn.; two sons, Anthony J. Saltamartini of North Adams and Mark A. Saltamartini and his wife, Kathleen, of Raleigh, N.C.; three sisters, Rita Trifoni of Southbridge, and Frances Schmidt and Carmela Brazeau, both of North Adams; one brother, D. Peter Mancuso of Pittsfield; six grandchildren, Kristine McGrath and her husband, Sean, Anthony Saltamartini and Angela Saltamartini, all of North Adams, Michael Davis of Manchester, Conn., Blake Saltamartini of Raleigh and Jessica Walden of Adams; five great-grandchildren, Kayla, Megan, Adalie, Ethan and Connor, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Her daughter, Paula T. Saltamartini died May 25, 2005. She was also predeceased by four sisters and a brother, Mary Piccolo, Margaret Brule, Catherine Lipa, Dorothy Beaupre, and Albert Mancuso.
FUNERAL NOTICE â€' The funeral for Mrs. Saltamartini will be Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m. from Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church. Burial will follow in Southview Cemetery.
Calling hours will be Friday, May 17, from 3 to 7 at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to VNA & Hospice of North Berkshire or Elder Services of Berkshire County in care of the funeral home.