Cornelia Salvador Kasperek

“Nellie,” as she was affectionately known, was born on September 16, 1934 in Lal-Lo, Cagayan, Philippines to Andres Bonifacio Salvador and Petrona Abides Salvador. Nellie was a cheerful, warm spirited, hard working woman. Her employment at Clark Air Base in the Philippines opened up many opportunities for her - one of them being the opportunity to immigrate to the United States. On June 19, 1963, Nellie and her daughter, Sally, arrived at Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville, Arkansas, where they began their new lives in America. A few years later, she made her way to California and moved into what would become her forever home in Hawthorne.

Nellie loved life and most of all, her family. She was a proud mother of her only daughter, Sally, and a doting grandmother to her granddaughters, Vanessa, Vernetta, and Heather. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, dancing, and singing. Nellie loved entertaining her family and friends, and most of all, having parties for every occasion. She was a generous, loving, and kind-hearted woman of God. She attended St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hawthorne. Nellie was also a founding member of the Gardena Filipino Seniors Club for over two decades.

Nellie was preceded in death by her father, Bonifacio Salvador, her mother, Petrona Abides Salvador, her uncle, Pacio Salvador and her brother, Rufino Salvador.

Nellie’s memory is cherished by the family she leaves behind: daughter, Sally Sarakatsannis, granddaughters, Vanessa (Jean-Jacques) Mougenot, Vernetta Hygh and Heather Hygh, great grandchildren, Collin Hygh, Aidan and Christian Mougenot, and Layla, Lacey and Ty Evans. Also, her extended family: Haroun Ibrahim, Sunny Owairo, Josie Arciaga Colberg (Melanie Pfeiffer Candey, Jamie Pfeiffer Newbold), Elisa Carden, Andrea Case Baldus (Liza, Justin, Ashley, Brandon and Austin), Michelle (Marvin) Markham Strait and many dear friends.

Flowers may be sent to Lighthouse Memorials & Receptions Chapel on or after April 12, 2023.