Michael James Salzillo

Michael was born on August 20, 1942, in New Britain, Connecticut, to James Salzillo and Florence Lalla Salzillo. Michael was eager to serve his country and achieved his GED while in the Air Force.

Mike was a man dedicated to his family, and to his work. He married Susan Marinone Salzillo in 1979, and they had four children – Michael, Matthew, Mark, and Mandy. The house was always full of the sounds of children, both his own and their friends, much to the chagrin of Susan trying to keep them quiet while Michael slept.

Michael made incredible sacrifices for his family, the most prominent being his decision to work the night shift, driving for UPS between Hartford and Albany. Working nights paid better and was instrumental in helping the family make ends meet. He also often worked significant overtime to help provide for his family.

He cared for his children fiercely always making time to play and teach. Throwing, catching, riding bikes, fishing… Michael loved the time he had with his children, often forgoing sleep after driving all night on Friday to spend Saturday with them.

Michael’s affection for his children only intensified after he and Susan split in the early 2000s, and that affection turned to pride as each of his children started their own careers and their families.

The family was a constant for Michael, and he never moved further than one town away from Southington, where his mother, Florence, and sister, Amy, lived, a place he loved deeply. He was constantly visiting his childhood home, which was still occupied by his mother and sister, until recently. His older brother Jimmy moved to Maine, which was a favorite place to visit in the family motorhome.

Some of his best memories and favorite moments came from the time he spent in the motorhome, driving the family to locations like Lake George, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Disney for summers on end.

Michael was one-of-a-kind. He was humble, stubborn, loyal, and dedicated. He threw himself into work and did his best no matter the situation. He worked at UPS for more than 45 years and never had one accident, driving well over a million miles in that time. Quite likely, the best attribute anyone could take from meeting and knowing Michael was the value of hard work.

In the end, Michael cultivated and loved a simple life. He loved his children, his work, his cars, his country, and, like any good Connecticut resident, he loved all things UConn.

Michael is survived by his brother Jimmy, sister Amy, four children and their spouses – Michael and Joanna, Matthew and Jackie, Mark and Melissa, and Mandy and Brian, as well as his eight grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 11 a.m. at St. Aloysius Church, 254 Burritt St., Plantsville. Burial with Military Honors will conclude services in St. Thomas Cemetery. A calling hour will be held prior, from 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. Southington.

Donations can be made in Michael’s memory to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, 415 Crossways Park Drive, Suite D, Woodbury, NY 11797. http://www.lustgarten.org