Sally J. Italiano

On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Sally Italiano, loving wife, mother of five sons, eleven grandchildren, and
eight great-grandchildren, passed away at the age of 93.
Sarah Jean (Sally) was born on April 17, 1929, in Quincy, MA to Sydney E. and Sarah (Lee) Edward. As an
infant, she moved to Denver, CO with her twin brother, Sydney J., to be raised by her Uncle Andrew and
Aunt Margaret Edward. Upon graduating from West High School in 1947, she held a clerical position at
The Insurance Co. of North America, where she was quite adept at typing and taking shorthand, skills
she acquired in high school. She thoroughly enjoyed this kind of office work. On September 25, 1950,
she married Dean Italiano. They raised five sons, Dean, Lou, Greg, Rich, and Paul. Sally always said
raising her five sons was her greatest accomplishment. In 1974, after her sons were a little older, she
applied for a job at King Soopers and was hired to work in the deli. This was the perfect occupation for
Sally, she got to serve food and work with the public. She stayed there until her retirement in 1991.
Sally enjoyed everything life had to offer. One of her passions was spending time in the kitchen making
Italian meals for family, friends, and the whole neighborhood. Her meatballs were notorious, a recipe
she learned from her mother-in-law, Margaret Italiano. She loved spending time in her garden, tending
to her flowers. A big part of Sally’s life was being a member of the First Universalist Church of Denver.
The welcoming congregation was like a second family to her. She especially liked preparing meals for
their Wednesday Night Dinners and hearing her son, Rich, play the piano for services, as he was also the
music director. She loved music and sang in numerous choirs throughout her life. Highlights included
singing Handel’s Messiah, the Requiem of Johannes Brahms, and attending a performance with her
granddaughter, Mesha, by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. She was also a fan of opera
and ballet, she especially loved sopranos Beverly Sills and Renee Fleming, tenor Luciano Pavarotti, and
dancers Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Sally was an avid reader and book collector, as well.
Some of her favorite authors were Robert Burns, Kahlil Gibran, Thomas Wolfe, Chaim Potok, Virginia
Woolf, Dag Hammarskjöld, Alice Walker, Harper Lee, Truman Capote, and Thich Nhat Hanh. For humor,
she loved Erma Bombeck. Let’s not forget her beloved terrier, Darla, whom she absolutely adored.
Lastly, Scotland: by heritage, Sally’s roots were in the land of castles, kilts, and bagpipes. One of her
most memorable journeys was a pilgrimage to Scotland with her cousin, Joann Goldberg, to visit family
and see the infamous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 1978. She said it was breathtaking.
Sally was known for her incredible optimism and love of humankind. She had a gift for making everyone
feel welcome, was a great listener, and often gave sage advice. She also had a serendipitous way of
bringing good fortune to all those around her. She was a real treasure and leaves a wonderful legacy. All
those who knew her loved her very much. She will indeed be missed.
Sally was preceded in death by her husband, Dean, his sister, Irma, her brother, Syd, his wife, Lucy. She
is survived by her five sons and their spouses, Dean (Avis), Lou (Michele), Greg (Loni), Rich (Tom), and
Paul (Pam), eleven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and
cousins in Colorado, California, Australia, and Scotland.

Private Services will be held.