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Edited/compiled from
material by
Marion Anna Campagna
A 100
Watt Lady – Sadie Salerno
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Sadie Salerno
turns 101 this month!
Born in Manhattan’s Little
Italy in 1906, Sadie, one of six
children in the family, attended an
all-girl Catholic school. Before
going to school, Sadie would pick up
patterns of men’s pants from a
manufacturer which she then brought
to her mother to sew together. When
completed, she returned them to the
manufacturer. Another
responsibility was to bring the
bread dough her mother prepared to
the downstairs bakery to bake. After
school she would pick up the freshly
baked bread, ready for supper.
At the age of 16, Sadie had
her working papers and learned to
use the sewing machine. In the same
building where she worked, she met
her future husband, Salvatore
Salerno. He prepared the print
fabric for embroidery and crafting;
Sadie worked downstairs as a
seamstress. |
Salerno family - 1932
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Sadie & Sal 1964
Sadie & Sal 1980 |
They married in 1925, traveling to
the church in a horse-drawn
carriage. She and Sal moved into a
bungalow and Sadie went to work in
her husband's parents' resort in New
Jersey
Sadie and Salvatore had
three children: two boys and one
girl. She washed their clothes with
stones on a river bank in a New
Jersey creek and bathed the children
there in the summer.
Trolley cars and fire trucks were drawn by
horses. Fruit, vegetables and fish
were sold from horse-drawn carts.
Milk was poured from large
containers into little quart cans.
In the summertime Sadie rented
bathing suits in Brooklyn to go
swimming at Coney Island. The skirts
had elastic on the bottom and no
pants; only her face and hands
showed.
Widowed at age 75, Sadie became
her own woman, joining organizations
and senior centers. She traveled all
over, enjoyed her first train ride
and airplane trips to Sicily, Italy,
and Texas. She also traveled to
California, Iowa, Niagara Falls,
Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Religion has always played a big part in
her life. She believes in “live and
let live,” and avoids confrontations
or arguments. She is loved by all
her friends.
Sadie has nine grandchildren
and 10 great-grandchildren. Her
grandchildren seek her opinions and
advice. |
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