Obituary of Salvatore F Saiya

Salvatore (Sal) Frank Saiya, 88, of Duxbury, MA, passed away on August 5, 2024, peacefully at home surrounded by his family.

Sal was born in Brooklyn, New York to Frank and Theresa Saiya on May 12, 1936. He served in the Army during the Korean War. In 1960 he married the love of his life JoAnn Guadagni, and they were inseparable.  As an accomplished machinist, he went on to own and operate a centerless griding machine shop with his wife called A. W. Draghi Ground Products in Fairfield, NJ.  Sal’s passion was restoring antique cars, especially convertible Packards.  Sal and JoAnn frequently went to antique car shows, including the famous Macungie, PA Das Awkscht Fescht show and the Hershey Car Show. He enjoyed his 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air and as an accomplished antique car restorer, he won 15 national awards, including the Joseph Parkin Award in 2004 and 2015 for his prize 1936 V12 Packard. Not only was he passionate about his cars, he also made the best homemade mozzarella cheese and loved to go dancing with JoAnn.

Sal is survived by his wife, JoAnn, daughters Maria Gleason, Debbie Brinckman, and Trina Saiya, son-in laws Blake Gleason and Glenn Brinckman, grandchildren Jordana Brinckman and Danielle Brinckman, Judson Gleason and his wife Martha Gleason, Alecia Porter and her husband Brian Porter, and four great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Frank and Theresa Saiya and sisters Grace and Sophie.

Visitation will be held at Shepard Funeral Home, 216 Main Street, Kingston MA on August 8th from 9:00 - 10:30 AM followed by Mass at Holy Family Church at 601 Tremont St., Duxbury, MA at 11:00 AM. A military burial will be held at Massachusetts National Cemetery on August 9th at 10:00 AM, Connery Avenue, Buzzards Bay, MA.

Memorial donations may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They can be mailed to:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

P.O. Box 849168

Boston, MA 02284

or visit www.dana-farber.org/gift