Print |
E-mail to a friend
NEWS
Salvatore farewell focuses on kindness
Family and friends gather for the funeral of Ernie Salvatore on Thursday, July 9, 2009, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Huntington.
Purchase this photoRelated:
HUNTINGTON -- They kept it simple.
There were no special guests to give eulogies. There was no rundown of his journalistic accomplishments or his notoriety in the community.
The funeral liturgy for Ernie Salvatore, held Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church, was straightforward by design, said his daughter, Theresa Stephens, and Monsignor Lawrence Luciana, pastor at the church.
Luciana said he's read and read about Salvatore's career as a sports writer and editor here in Huntington.
"I thought, 'I'll just talk about the man,' " Luciana said. When it comes down to it, professional accolades take a back seat to how much you love the Lord and how good you are to each other, he said.
That's what God cares about, Luciana said, and in that department, Salvatore was a standout.
Salvatore died Friday, July 3, at his home in Huntington. He seemed to have died peacefully, Stephens said. He was 87.
Salvatore was a Huntington import who grew up in Greenwich, Conn., and came to West Virginia to attend Marshall. The longtime writer and editor for The Herald-Advertiser and The Herald-Dispatch was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne Pinckard Salvatore. He is survived by five children, Ernest A. Salvatore Jr. of Cincinnati, Ohio; John Salvatore of Columbus, Ohio; Marc Salvatore of Clovis, Calif.; Lynn Cronk of Davenport, Iowa; and Stephens of Huntington. He also is survived by six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
He was buried at Woodmere Memorial Park in Huntington.
Those who gathered to say goodbye Thursday included not only his family, but members of the local media, along with those affiliated with Marshall University, the local Catholic community and other friends he had made.
Salvatore was well known for his commentary on Marshall sports and other local athletics, as well as his unique style of writing.
What some might not know is that Salvatore also went to Mass every day, Luciana said.
"I'd see him every day. Every day," Luciana said. "...He'd say, 'I have to get ready.' I'd say, 'Are you going somewhere?' and he'd say, 'You never know.' "
Luciana talked about how Salvatore was kind to everyone, always seemed happy and how he loved his family and his job and was faithful to his faith.
"He was simplicity," Luciana said. "There were no two sides to Ernie."
He also loved to talk, Luciana said.
"He wouldn't shut up," he joked. "He loved to talk about his experiences with people. He'd flavor it with some sort of sports anecdote, but mostly, it was about people."
And, of course, Salvatore wasn't shy about sharing his staunch opinions, not even backing down to a priest, Luciana added.
"He'd say, 'Father, you can say what you want, but this is how it is,' " Luciana said.
He commented on how nice it was that Salvatore could enjoy a well-attended dinner in his honor last year at Marshall, which recognized his impact on athletics and the Huntington community. The dinner also raised money for a Marshall scholarship in Salvatore's name.
Luciana also told those attending that he hoped they would learn from Salvatore's example.
"Let him show us how to live our lives," he said.
