Obituary of Eugene P. Salvati

Eugene P. Salvati, M.D. of Martinsville, NJ passed away on December 8, 2016. He was born in the coal mining town of Pursglove, West Virginia on September 7, 1923 to Nicholas P. Salvati of Vacri, Italy and Mary Pellegrini of Monongah, West Virginia. He loved his profession of medicine and surgery and through his residence program taught many surgeons his techniques and his style. His hobbies included boating, fishing, and making wine and pizza. His was an unlikely career path – from a poor coal mining town in West Virginia to the top of his profession. Truly an example of the American dream believing that hard work and tenacity would pay off. He loved football, particularly West Virginia University football. He earned a BS from West Virginia University, and an M.D. from the University of Maryland. In 1952, after a brief couple of years in surgical residence, he was activated by the Army and sent to Korea as a First Lieutenant to serve at the front lines in a field hospital. There he earned a Bronze Star for Meritorious Service. After the War, he began his career in earnest specializing in Colon and Rectal surgery first in Allentown, Pennsylvania and then at Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield, NJ. where he built his reputation and spent most of his career. In addition to his many and various affiliations, he was the Chief of Colon & Rectal Surgery at Muhlenberg Hospital and Director of the Colon and Rectal Training Program at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He was a Clinical Professor of Surgery – UMDMJ – Rutgers Medical School, and a Fellow and President of the New Jersey Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. He authored, co-authored and published 68 papers related to Colon and Rectal Surgery. He retired from medicine at the age of 80 having practiced medicine for 48 years. He was a retired Fellow of the North Plainfield Italian American Club and a member for 34 years. He was a parishioner of St. Joseph's Church of Bound Brook for 24 years. He was predeceased by his wife of 50 years, Laura Dawson of Woodbridge, NJ. He is survived by his eight children –Barbara (Eric), Maribeth (Patrick), Laura Lynn (Bruce), Carol Ann (Jim), Douglas (Jennifer), Roger (Krista), Robin (Patrick) and Gigi (Rob), seventeen grandchildren and six great grandchildren, and his loving companion, Lucy C. Smalley. A visitation will be held at Higgins Home for Funeral Home, Watchung, NJ on Monday, December 19, 2016 from 2-4pm and 7-9pm. A Mass of Resurrection will held at St. Joseph's Church in Bound Brook at 11 am on Tuesday December 20, 2016. In lieu of flowers, he has asked that donations be made to the West Virginia University Foundation referencing the Eugene P. Salvati Family Foundation Fund. Web address: www.wvuf.org. Address is WVU Foundation, P.O. Box 1650, Morgantown, WV 26507-1650.