Obituaries

Sarah “Sally” (Melville) Belluso of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully on October 7, 2014, with her daughter Diane by her side. Sally was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on August 10, 1930, the daughter of the late Martin J. and Sadie (Walsh) Melville.

A Warwick resident until moving to Pennsylvania four years ago, Sally graduated from St. Xavier’s Academy, and earned degrees from Bryant College and the University of Rhode Island. Sally overcame a handicap by learning to type rapidly with one hand. She worked as a civilian secretary for the US Navy and Air Force with top level clearances, working overseas at military bases in South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, and Saudi Arabia before returning to the States and working at Quonset Naval Base.

Sally was a lifelong Democrat with a great interest in local and national politics, working for several local candidates. She fought hard for Rhode Islanders in need with her involvement in the Coalition for Consumer Justice and started a child abuse prevention organization. Sally also volunteered with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which helped her immensely when her son was young. Sally valued education and enrolled at URI in her mid-60’s, earning a degree in Social Work.

She is survived by her two loving daughters: Sandra (son-in-law Henry) Suarez of Gardnerville, Nevada, and Diane (son-in-law John) Bucci of Easton, Pennsylvania, and five cherished grandchildren: Nicholas and Katrina Suarez of California, Daniel Suarez of Wyoming, and Andrew and Allison Bucci of Pennsylvania. She was predeceased by her beloved son, John M. Belluso.  She was the sister of the late Sister Mary J. Claver, RSM, Helen Charette, and Martin J. Melville, Jr.  She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, www.mda.org, in Sally’s memory will be appreciated.