Mary Louise Salatino
Marriages
Sam Salatino - December 27, 1954
Obituaries
The Daily Sentinel page 11C - May 28, 2023
Mary Louise Salatino
passed away on May 22,
2023, at the HopeWest
Care Center. She was the
fifth child born to Frank
and Angelina (Audino)
Simonetti on October 14,
1932, at St. Mary’s Hospital
in Grand Junction. She at-
tended elementary school
at St. Joseph’s Catholic
School and graduated
from Grand Junction High
School in 1950. She grad-
uated from Mesa Junior
College with an Associate
in Business degree and then
attended the University of
Colorado in Boulder.
Mary Louise was intro-
duced to the love of her life,
Sam Salatino, by family
and they were married on
December 27, 1954, while Sam was on a break from teach-
ing school. She worked as a secretary at the Atomic Energy
Commission when she and Sam were first married before
they started a family. A few years later, they were blessed
with three children: Steven, Valerie, and Sheree.
Mary Louise was a homemaker while her children
were growing up, and family meant the world to her. She
was active in her children’s lives, including acting as a
room-mother at Pomona Elementary School. She was a
member of Faculty Wives and Catholic Daughters. She
also volunteered at St. Mary’s Hospital gift shop.
Bridge was her favorite activity, and Mary Louise be-
longed to several bridge clubs throughout her life, playing
in clubs with friends for over 50 years. She was a great
seamstress and sewed many clothes for her children while
they were growing up. She also enjoyed knitting and cro-
cheting. Her Catholic faith was important to her, and she
attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Church for most of her
life.
After the children were grown, Mary Louise volun-
teered with St. Mary’s Auxiliary, and worked at various
jobs in Grand Junction. Later, she and Sam, along with
family members, started Clifton Automotive Center Car
Wash, where she contributed her time and talent for the
business in various ways.
Mary Louise’s greatest joys were her husband, children,
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a very
loving and compassionate person who would do anything
for them. She had many cherished friendships that lasted
throughout her life.
She is survived by her children, Steven Salatino, Valerie
(Douglas) Nieman, and Sheree Mayo. Grandchildren in-
clude Lauren (Bryan) Carei, Nicholas Salatino, Anthony
Salatino, and Benjamin (Carly) Mayo. Great-grandchildren
include Rowan and Fletcher Carei. She is also survived by
nieces and nephews, and her brother-in-law, Dan Price. In
the last few years of her life, she was surrounded by the
loving support of her special niece, Charmaine Hacker.
She was pre-deceased by her parents, an infant broth-
er and brothers Frank Simonetti, Jr., Albert (Jeanette)
Simonetti, Ernest Simonetti, sister Evelyn Price, and son-
in-law, David Mayo.
Visitation will be held at Callahan-Edfast Mortuary on
Thursday, June 1 at 5:00 p.m. followed by a Rosary at 6:30
p.m. Services will be held on Friday, June 2 at 9:30 a.m. at
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church located at 790 26 1/2
Road, Grand Junction, 81506.
Donations in Mary Louise’s memory may be made to:
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church or HopeWest, 3090 N.
12th Street #B, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
The family would like to thank the staff at Cappella and
HopeWest hospice for their loving care during the last years
of her life.
