Obituary of Sally Rose Molinaro Gagliardi

Sally Rose Molinaro Gagliardi, 70, of Pawling, NY, passed away on May 28, 2024. She leaves behind her loving family; her husband Vincent “Jake”, son Vincent (Charity) and daughter Rachel.  She will be greatly missed by her four grandchildren; Vincent, Viviana, Gianna and Gabriella. Sally was a beloved sister to Barbara Rizzo (Charlie) and brother Joseph (Maria) and is predeceased by her sister MaryAnn Hvolbeck (Neil).  Sally leaves behind many loving nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was the first of three daughters born to Salvatore and Rose (Zedda) Molinaro on October 17, 1953.  Sadly, Sally’s father passed away when she was 6 years old after a long battle with cancer.  A few years later her mother married Joseph Trembone, they blended families and moved to Mount Kisco where her baby brother Joey was born.

Sally attended Fox Lane Junior/Senior High School and graduated in 1971.  There she met her sweetheart Vincent “Jake” and they married at St. Francis Church on a beautiful winter day on December 30, 1978 where she arrived in Jake’s 1924 Ford Model T.  When they returned home from their 2 week honeymoon in Hawaii, they resided in their forever home in Pawling, NY.

In 1980, she was blessed with her first child, Vincent James.  7 years later Rachel Leigh was born and her life was complete.  She embraced her role as a stay at home mom and she loved caring for her husband and children. During this time she developed her love of sports and would never miss any of her children’s events. 

In 1997, it was time to enter the workforce when she was hired to manage FarnumMorales Advertising & Design.  Sally loved her position there and was grateful for the opportunities Jay and Michelle provided her.

In 2017, everything changed when Sally suffered a massive heart attack and amputation to her leg. While this was a life changing event, she understood the decision of “life over limb”.  Her strong belief in God and family gave her the inner strength to continue life with her new disability and later cancer diagnosis. 

Sally’s biggest joy was being a Mom, but once her grandchildren were born she felt a love like no other.  She loved watching Vincent and Gianna compete in sports, especially her favorite sport baseball. Just this past weekend she could be seen smiling and cheering on the kids at their Memorial Day Tournament. She was Viviana’s biggest fan supporting her with “Girls on the Run” and helping foster her creativity.  She loved spending time with the “baby of the family” Gabriella and watching her act, dance and laugh. 

Sally loved rooting for the N.Y.  Yankees, attending social gatherings, dancing, and sipping a good cocktail. She will always be remembered for her hand painted holiday butter cookies and large, elaborate fresh cut Christmas Trees. Being raised among Veterans, she was a proud American and MAGA supporter. She cherished her Italian American heritage, all the traditions and valued the strong family bond it fostered. 

Sally was a friend to all who met her. Her positive energy, nurturing spirit and outgoing personality was magnetic. She often boasted of being recognized as an “inspiration” by Doctors, Nurses, patients, and friends who admired her strength and courage to continue moving forward in the face of adversity.  Even in her toughest days, she found comfort and strength supporting and remaining closely connected to her family and friends. Sally lived each day with “hope” and by our family motto “You must surround yourself with love.”  Her unconditional love and selflessness will be greatly missed by all.