Visitation
December 9, 2010
4:00 - 8:00 P.M.
Location: Grace Brethren Church of Calvert County [Map]
Funeral Service
December 10, 2010
11:00 A.M.
Location: Grace Brethren Church of Calvert County [Map]
Interment
Location: Southern Memorial Gardens [Map]
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Rochelle Gayle Salvas, age 75, of Dunkirk, MD died peacefully, after a long courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease, at her home with her husband by her side. She was born September 4, 1935 in Morehead, KY to Glenn and Sue Frances (Hall) Willis. Rochelle was raised on a small farm in Morehead, KY by her grandparents Charlie and Hettie Hall. She accepted Christ at a young age and was baptized in a creek near the farm. She graduated from Morehead High School in 1954 and moved to the Washington, DC area to live with relatives and seek employment. She found employment at Acacia Mutual Life Insurance Company as a policy analyst.
Rochelle was very patriotic and loved her country. In her spare time she volunteered as a hostess at the USO Center in Washington, DC. It was there, in 1958 she meet a young Marine stationed at Quantico, VA, Andrew E. Salvas. On August 27, 1960 Rochelle and Andrew were married. They made their home in Prince Georges County. After the birth of their first two sons they became foster parents, taking in girls and later infants. In November 1967, they accepted a 3 week old baby boy being released from Children’s Hospital who was classified as unadoptable due to medical conditions. In 1970 they were the first parents in Prince George’s County to take part in a new program called Permanent Forster Care, allowing them to give their last name to the child. In 1975 they adopted this child and he became their third son. He eventually overcame all of his medical problems after many trips to Children’s Hospital. Rochelle was always extremely proud of her family. They moved to Dunkirk in October of 1978.
It is believed that her love for little children led her to her hobby of collecting dolls. She accumulated a beautiful collection. She also enjoyed cooking, which was outstanding and unbeatable.
The Hall side of her family, with many Aunts and Uncles held an annual family reunion taking turns at homes in the Midwest and east coast. She had such a close relationship with her family that she traveled to every reunion, either with her family or alone. Rochelle hosted the 1992 reunion at her home in Dunkirk where 43 members of her family attended. She especially enjoyed sitting in small groups at the reunions singing the grand old hymns of faith.
Rochelle had a big heart when it came to people in need. She spent several weeks in Schaumburg, IL with her sister Janet Milella, a well known author of novels, to help care for her until her death at the age of 47 from brain cancer. She also assisted in the care of her mother in Chicago and an uncle in West Virginia, before their deaths.
Surviving are her husband Andrew E. Salvas; three sons Stephen A Salvas and his wife Blair of White Plains, MD, Charles E Salvas and his wife Julie of Westover, MD and Allen L. Salvas and his wife Susan of Salisbury, MD; eleven grandchildren Lindsey R. and Andrew J. Salvas of White Plains, Kimber, Kayla, Kendall, Keeley, Caleb and Kamryn Salvas of Westover, MD and Troy, Nicholas and Noah Salvas of Salisbury, MD
The family would like to thank Calvert Hospice for the professional and compassionate care and support during the last 25 months of Rochelle’s life
Memorial Contributions
Calvert Hospice
P.O. Box 838
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.calverthospice.org
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