Evelyn Rose Salat

Evelyn Rose (Cusanelli) Salat passed away peacefully on August 20, 2022 at her home in Vermont, surrounded by her children. The youngest and last surviving sibling of seven children born to William Cusanelli and Rose (Dietrich) Cusanelli, she was a proud Woodside, NY native. Devoted wife of Stephen F. Salat, who passed in Florida in 1997. She is survived by her children: Eric (VT), Kathleen (NC), and John (CT), her grandchildren Eric Salat (CA), Michael C. Salat (NY), Alex Wigder (MA), and Elisabeth Fort (NC) as well as her great grandchildren Sascha (CA), Ella and Josh (MA), Oliver, Miles, Hannah, and Nathan (NC). Evelyn will be fondly remembered for her bright and cheerful demeanor and her passion and love for her family.

From graduation from Hunter College High School in NYC in 1940 where she was known as “a sprightly rogue, genial and gay” to her role as wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Mom brought all those amazing attributes to her life. She was game for anything; learned how to ski in her 50s, played golf most of her life, was on a team that competed in the NYSWBA Annual Bowling Championship in 1969, hiked Mt Kearsarge in New Hampshire, and absolutely loved riding Space Mountain at Disneyworld and visiting the Kennedy Space center. She collected friends wherever she lived and gave her grandchildren a love of skiing and cooking. She also lived by the very words she passed down to her family to live a good life: “Relax and smell the roses.” From her German and Italian heritage, she developed cooking skills rivaling James Beard and Julia Child, and her recipes will last many generations. We will never forget her enthusiasm and culinary prowess – to her, the kitchen was a place for family to meet, talk and socialize. Mom always made everyone feel so welcome when they visited her house.

After graduating from high school, she attended Hunter College where she planned to major in physical education. She left to pursue an opportunity to work in the auditing department of Chemical Bank, before meeting and marrying her husband, Steve, in 1944. The roles she excelled in, and was incredibly proud of, was her role as mother, grandmother, and homemaker. Her magnetic personality and storytelling skills always drew her family, young and old, to flock around her. She was truly loved and cherished by her entire family, and we will miss her spunky, gentle, lovable and kind soul. Rest in Peace Evelyn Rose Salat.