Joan A. "Tossi" Salerno

Joan "Tossi" A. Salerno
Deerfield
Mrs. Joan "Tossi" A. Salerno, 77, of Deerfield, passed away on Thursday, January 27, 2011, due to complications from injuries sustained in an automobile accident last mother's day. Her loving family was by her side at the time of her passing. Joan was born February 26, 1933, in Jersey City, NJ, the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Saile) Wentka. She was raised in Utica, attended Kernan grade school and was a graduate of Utica Free Academy. On November 25, 1950, Joan married Paul "Jim" Salerno at St. Patrick's Church in Utica, a devoted union of 33 years until Paul's death in 1983. For many years, she was employed as senior account clerk with Oneida County Civil Service, retiring in 1991. Joan was a long time devout parishioner of St. Mark's Church in N. Utica. She was a member of the Nocturnal Adoration Society and St. Mark's Rosary Group. Joan was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and received her greatest joy spending time with her family. Mrs. Salerno is survived by her devoted daughter and son-in-law, Tina and Mike Zarnock, of Deerfield; daughter-in-law, Lynette Salerno and her fianc, Raymond Centollela, both of N. Utica; five cherished grandchildren, Christopher Zarnock, of MD, Cody Zarnock, of Deerfield, Craig Salerno and his wife, Jenna, of Mechanicsville, NY, Becki Salerno and her fianc, Mike Pepperine, of N. Utica, and Valerie Salerno, of New Hartford; three brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Richard and Dee Hance, of Utica, Anthony and Eleanor Salerno, of Utica, and Tom and Jenny Sharpe, of Marcy; six great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and her two beloved dogs, Mudge and Sniffles. She was predeceased by her son, Paul Salerno, in 2006, and grandson, Jeff Salerno, in 1992. Mrs. Salerno's funeral will be held on Monday, January 31, 2011, at 9:15 a.m. at the Heintz Funeral Home, 408 Herkimer Rd., N. Utica, and 10:00 at St. Mark's Church, where her Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Entombment will follow in Resurrection Chapel Mausoleum at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Yorkville. Calling hours for family and friends are Sunday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. online guestbook and messages of sympathy at www.heintzfuneralservice.net
Joan A. Salerno