Salvatore “Sal” Adamo of Vernon passed away on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, at Hackensack University Medical Center. He was 78.
Born in Modica, Sicily, Italy, Sal immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 12 years old.
After growing up in Hackensack and Bergen County, Sal settled in Vernon in 1978.
He was a jack of all trades. He attended Lincoln Tech for his HVAC certificate and achieved his FDA license from Penn State.
He worked as a finance and insurance manager in the auto sales field for more than 20 years before retiring in 2008.
In 2019, Sal became a U.S. citizen which he and his family were extremely proud of.
“Big Sal,” as he was affectionately known, was the life of the party or any event he attended. He loved a good meal and would not pass up a beer if it was offered. His first language might have been Italian, but he was clearly proficient in sarcasm. He enjoyed being around friends and family, always doing or saying something to make others laugh. He especially loved being around all of the kids as that truly made him the happiest; he was everyone’s Pop-Pop.
He was predeceased by his parents, Giovanni and Agnese (De Florian) Adamo.
He was the devoted husband of 46 years to Annette Pace Adamo; beloved father of Theresa Gisella (Adamo) Pister and her husband Joseph, Michelle Adamo Shine and her husband Michael, Elizabeth Adamo Vasile and her husband Michael, Marina Adamo and her significant other Brett Zizzo, and Sal Adamo and his significant other Jessica Olson; dear grandfather to Holly Kalinin (George), Ryan McCormick, Zachary McCormick (Andrea), Faith McCormick (Curtis), Brendan Shine, Timothy Shine, Dylan Morris and Kyliana Morris; loving great-grandfather to Anya, Logan, Aurora, Aaron, Michael, Lilian Jane, Bradley and Creedence; and cherished brother of Giancarlo Adamo (Linda) and Alberto Adamo (Liz). Sal also leaves behind his former wife, Kathryn Adamo; numerous nieces and nephews; as well as dear friends near and far.<br />
The family will receive their friends at the Ferguson-Vernon Funeral Home, 241 Route 94 (for GPS use 1 Vanderhoof Ct) on Friday, Sept. 6 from 3 to 7 p.m. A funeral will be held at 6:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (www.t2t.org).
Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.fergusonfuneralhomesnj.com