Salvatore Tirrito

Salvatore Tirrito, 90, of Wind Gap passed away Thursday, August 22 at 7:56 PM at St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown PA surrounded by his family. Born in Castronovo di Sicilia, Provincia di Palermo, Sicily on November 12, 1933 to the late Gaetano and Giuseppina Tirrito (nee Benincasa). He was the eldest child and only son in a family of three siblings, and is survived by his two younger sisters, Antonina Cusimano (nee Tirrito) and Giovanna Tirrito. He is pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 53 years, Marie C. Tirrito (nee Lombardo). He is also survived by his two sons: Gaetano Gennaro Sidaras-Tirrito and husband Michael, Frank Christopher Tirrito, and his two grandsons: Christian Fernando Tirrito and fiancé Melissa, Aiden Russell Tirrito, as well as many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

Salvatore was a master tailor by trade, having learned the business from the ground up by his father in the family tradition from a young age in Sicily before emigrating to the United States to build a new life. After moving to the United States, he met the future love of his life, Marie at the San Gennaro feast in Little Italy in Manhattan. The two fell in love and built a long and everlasting life together that led them to North Bergen, New Jersey, and eventually the Poconos, Pennsylvania and Wind Gap. While making a life for himself and his young wife, Sal began working as a tailor for a company owned by another Italian immigrant from his town, called Evan Picone, and continued working for him throughout his life. He worked his way up to quality control for the company and often traveled to foreign countries inspecting clothing. Sal had a love for his profession and impeccable taste for the fine details in quality clothing. He also helped his parents, and his sisters emigrate from Sicily to the United States to make their lives here as well, and they remained a tight knit family throughout their lifetime. In fact, the two sisters also worked with Sal.