Kathryn M. Salus, nee Repole, age 75, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on February 17, 2019 after succumbing to the effects of a stroke. Kathryn’s parents, Roy and Mary Repole were devout Catholics of St. Rita of Cascia Church. Mary attended the Novenas for St. Rita in hopes of having a child. Her prayers were answered, and Kathryn was born in Chicago, Illinois on April 15, 1943. Kathryn attended her grammar school years at St. Theodore Elementary School while living at 63rd and Hermitage. It was here, at the age of 12 that she would meet Lawrence P. Salus, her husband of 55 years. After her graduation from Maria High School, that she and Larry married at St. Bernadette Church on July 16, 1963.
Larry and Kathy raised their 3 children in St. Bernadette Parish. They were part of the St. Bernadette Bowling League for many years. They also were involved in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, Troop 3656 and Troop 656. Kathryn worked behind the scenes for many years supporting her husband, sons and many boys of the parish.
Kathy was a business owner, after her father’s death in 1978, she and Larry took over Rosario’s Italian Foods, the business her parents had started on the kitchen table of their home. Kathy was a mainstay of the business; customers became family as well as the employees. She worked every day but Tuesdays and half of Sunday. Kathy and Larry attended the 7:00 mass every Sunday, never missing and then would go off to work.
She was a person who made friends easily- many times we would be stopped while out and about and she would get into long conversations with random people- after sharing and listening about kids, grandkids, work- she would then say- “That’s a customer.”
Kathy enjoyed her family: Larry Jr., Mary Kay, and Robert. Her grandkids were her greatest treasure. Emily, Erin, Patrick and Zachary have known their grandma from infant to adulthood. Her youngest grandchildren Roy, Ben and Sophia also knew a loving and caring grandmother.
Kathy leaves behind her husband of over 55 years. She was a kind a loving wife who sacrificed herself to care for Larry and others. Her presence is gone but her memories remain with us.
Loving wife of over 55 years to Lawrence P. Salus, Sr.; Beloved mother to Lawrence P. (Maggie Zellers) Salus, Jr., Mary Kay (Christopher) Nielsen, and Robert R. (Cindy) Salus; Cherished grandma to Zachary, Benjamin, Emily Kathryn, Erin Margaret, Patrick, Rosario “Roy”, and Sophia; Dear sister to Rita (Ken) Ruggles; Cousin and friend to many.
Funeral to begin 9:30 AM on Saturday, February 23rd, at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 4727 W 103rd St, Oak Lawn, IL 60453 for a 10:30 AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Bernadette, 9343 S Francisco Ave, Evergreen Park, IL 60805. Entombment Resurrection Cemetery to follow. Visitation will be from 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM at Blake-Lamb on Friday, February 22nd. For more information, please visit, www.blakelamboaklawn.com.
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