BAR MILLS & PA-Reba Sarah “Sally” Pappalardo, 85, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 10, 2016 surrounded by family. Guided by selflessness and her faith, Sally was an inspiration to many and will continue to leave a lasting impression on the countless lives she had touched.
She is survived by her loving husband, Joe Pappalardo; six children, Joe Pappalardo (Jann Kienzle), Patty Keller (Greg), Dan Pappalardo (Susan Bellin), Jamie Spadafore (Bob), Michelle Jones (Chris), and predeceased by Timothy Pappalardo; and six grandchildren, Adam and Shelby Kienzle-Pappalardo, Rob and Sarah Reba Spadafore, and Josh and Alyson Jones. She also leaves behind many dear relatives and friends.
In 1975, she and Joe founded The Back Porch Restaurant, located in Speers, PA, which continues today under the ownership and management of their children Joe, Patty, Jamie, and Michelle along with David Mendicino. Sally was a mainstay at the restaurant for over 35 years while she raised six happy children. She continued to enjoy working until the age of 80.
The daughter of Reba C. Swett and Gustave Witt and the youngest of four siblings, Sally was born in Teaneck, NJ, on February 6, 1931. She and Joe married in 1957 and enjoyed 59 wonderful years together. They moved to Greensburg, PA, in 1968, where she lived until her passing. Sally spent her summers in Maine, where relatives and friends have gathered at the “big house” for seven generations.
She will be laid to rest in a private family ceremony along side her three siblings in Bar Mills, Maine. A commemorative reception will be held at The Back Porch Restaurant on Monday, November 21, from 4 pm to 7 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in honor of Timothy, her fourth child, to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) at ifundraise.nami.org/campaign/pappalardo.
A private service will take place at the First Congregational Church of Buxton (Tory Hill), followed by burial at South Buxton Cemetery.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.mainefuneral.com