Worcester – Elinor K. (Spain) Salvidio, a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, at the age of 78 with the family she so loved gathered beside her.
Elinor was born in Shrewsbury, one of five children of William and May (Howell) Spain. She grew up in Shrewsbury, where she graduated from Shrewsbury High School in 1953. While in high school, Elinor met Michael A. Salvidio. In January 1963, Elinor and Michael married and settled in Worcester, where they lived for their entire married life.
Elinor was a vibrant woman with a smile that lit up a room. Her family and friends were her first priority. She was inseparable from her husband, dedicated to raising her children, and later became a doting grandmother. She worked with her husband during tax season, always greeting the firm's clients with a warm smile. She enjoyed many fun-filled years on Lake Winnipesaukee with family and friends. Her beautiful home was usually filled with the smells of traditional Italian cooking, and all were welcome to drop in and pull up a stool at the kitchen counter.
Elinor took great pride in the achievements of her children, cherished the ability to travel with her husband, treasured spending time with her many friends, enjoyed indulging her grandchildren, and always made the most of what life had to offer. Elinor's inspiration in life centered around her family and friends; the dinners, holidays and celebrations are what brought her joy. In her later years, she remarked that she had lived a beautiful life.
Elinor is survived by her husband, Michael, with whom she shared more than 50 wonderful years; her two children, Anthony J. Salvidio, his wife, Donna Salvidio, and their children, Michael and Katherine, and Andrea J. Brewster, her husband, Mark Brewster, and their children, Hannah and William; her twin sister, Ellen Papaz, wife of George Papaz, and sister Carol Diem; and many nieces, nephews, extended family, and a host of friends. Three siblings, Robert Spain, Monica Carlson, and Joan Goucher, all predeceased her.
Funeral services for Elinor will be held Wednesday, Jan. 22 from the Mercadante Funeral Home & Chapel, 370 Plantation St., Worcester, with a Mass of celebration at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of Mount Carmel – St. Ann Church, 24 Mulberry St., Worcester. Entombment will follow in St. John's Mausoleum at St. John's Cemetery, 260 Cambridge St. Friends and relatives are invited to visit with the family Tuesday, Jan. 21, from 4 – 7 p.m., in the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial remembrances in Elinor's name may be made to the Venerini Sisters” Retirement Fund, 374 Main St., Rutland, MA 01543 or to Notre Dame Academy's Beyond Our Gates campaign for its new World Language & Communication Center, 425 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609.
