SALO, Rose Salo

We are saddened to say that Rose Salo passed away peacefully with family by her side from complications after a stroke, at the age of 92 on September 5, 2025.

She was predeceased by her loving husband, Donald Salo, her two children, Dr. Karl Salo and Louise Salo, little sister Adeline and by her nephew, Anthony Jeffers. She is survived by her two daughters Susan Salo and Janet Salo, and grandchildren, Grant Salo, Jasper Grant and Jacy Grant, as well as nieces Trish Buhr and Shelley Jeffers, and her favourite cousin Brian Bien (Eva) and his family.

Rose was born and grew up in Fort William (now Thunder Bay). She went to North Bay Normal School after high school and taught in special education at Courtland Senior Public School in Kitchener for 20 years. She was always proud of her students’ accomplishments and said they worked harder than anyone else. Rose later got a BA degree from the University of Waterloo. We all remember her student days when she would lock herself in the basement to cram for exams. Maybe that’s where we got our successful studying habits from. We certainly got our love of reading from her. She was a voracious reader, switching to e-books on her iPad when the text of large print books wasn’t large enough for her.

Rose met her husband, Don at a summer “camp” on the shores of Lake Superior when they were both still in high school. They rushed to get married and brought up their four children instilling in them the importance of education and taught them to love the outdoors and travel. Summers were spent exploring parks and sights with their tent trailer.

Rose’s greatest passion besides her children and family was travel. She travelled all over the world, usually with a family member. We can relive those memories by reading the detailed and very humorous travel diaries she wrote on each trip.

When her husband died in 1990, Rose bought a condo in Fort Lauderdale and officially became a snowbird. Christmases were spent with family gathered around lighted palm trees. Rose always cooked her elaborate turkey and fixings on Christmas Eve, so she could relax the next day and pick off its bones. We miss when she used to make perogies that time of year. She loved the swap shop, the beach and sitting around the pool at Cross Fox.

In her later years, Susan lived with Rose so she could stay in her home. They were a bit like the Odd Couple but they took good care of each other. Rose might have grown shorter in her old age, but her open heart and vivacious personality only grew bigger.

While Rose was not a religious person, we would like to think she is reunited with her husband and family that predeceased her in some afterlife. She was a big story teller and we loved her stories, even if we had heard them before. Now she can talk everyone’s ear off for eternity.

At her request, there will be no funeral service. As she often said, most of her friends are dead. For those still alive, please remember her wit and love of life. If desired, memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, www.erbgood.com.