Salvatore Guagliardo

Salvatore (Sam) was born on August 11, 1936, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Anthony and Beatrice. He was the oldest of four children, all of whom have already passed on to their rest: Joanne, Vincent and Marie. Sam is survived by his wife of 62 years, Lucy, his two sons Anthony (wife, Rebecca) and John (wife, Nicole), and his five grandsons Lucas and Marco (Anthony), Cole, Owen, and Jude (John).

Sam grew up on North Larabee Street on the near northwest side of Chicago, attended Foreman High School, and in the late 1950s, he served in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood in Texas as well as Korea after the Korean War.

After serving in the U.S. Army, he became a pressman for Chicago Roto-Print in Chicago. During that time, he dated Lucy Vitale, and they were married on August 24, 1963. They lived on Crystal Street in Chicago briefly before moving to Sayre Avenue in the Montclare neighborhood of Chicago and started raising a family. Their first son, Anthony, was born on August 15, 1964, and lived only one day due to respiratory complications. On October 18, 1965, Anthony Joseph was born, and on March 27, 1967, John Jude was born.

Sam worked at Chicago Roto-Print for 32 years before the company moved to Tennessee. He then worked for the Chicago Tribune in Chicago and finished his career in the printing industry at Quebecor in Arlington Heights, working third shift for seven years. Ever providing for his family, he was proud of putting his sons through Catholic school all the way up through college at Loyola University Chicago, as well as funding their graduate studies. In retirement he enjoyed working (and golfing) at Maple Meadows Golf Course near their house in Wood Dale, Illinois.

Sam was devoted to his family and spent his free time in the summers swimming with his family in the backyard pool, visiting family and friends, and taking vacations to Disney World, The Smokey Mountains, French Lick, and other memorable destinations. And, of course, summers involved one of his favorite hobbies: golf. He taught himself how to golf and then taught his sons at early ages how to golf. He would pull his golf bag on his cart and attach the golf bags of his sons on his as they played countless rounds of golf each summer. He was quite a golfer in his own right and enjoyed passing on his golf knowledge to his sons (though they did not always think they needed it). He competed in his union golf leagues and on many occasions was the champion of the league. He enjoyed going on golf trips with his brothers-in-law Nick and Tom and their friends, and later with his son, Anthony, and his friends.

Sam also enjoyed dancing with his bride Lucy, and listening to music, especially Frank Sinatra and the big bands of his era. He also taught himself to play piano and paid for piano lessons for his sons. He enjoyed playing songs on the piano, and you could always hear him humming notes as fill when he couldn’t always get the notes just right.

The pride of his life was Lucy, his bride of 62 years. Sam was a devoted husband to Lucy, and their marriage was an example of faithful love over many years. They were very different, but they kept the light of love burning strong in their marriage, and their nickname for each other was “Presh,” short for Precious. They were precious to each other until the end. In his final days as life was slipping away, they traded retorts with each other saying, “You’re the best.”...”No, you’re the best.”; and “I love you.”…”I love you more.”

Sam survived stomach cancer in 2007 and had no ill effects from it. In 2021 he had back surgery that was difficult but successful. Then in 2024-25 after suffering back pain once again, doctors found a tumor in his sacrum, the result of metastatic prostate cancer. His condition deteriorated gradually from March, 2025, until his passing. His bride, Lucy, was constantly and faithfully by his side as he stayed at home during that journey, seeing his freedom, mobility, and energy decrease over time. His sons were a huge help and support as well, along with other family and close friends.

Sam’s faith in God and His son, Jesus Christ, gave him hope that while death put an end to his earthly life, Jesus’s promise of eternal life in John 3:16 was the true hope to which he clung. May God have mercy on Sam’s soul and welcome him into his eternal rest and Home.

Visitation and funeral services for Sam will take place on Saturday, November 29, 2025 from 9:00 am until time of funeral service at 11:00 am at Cumberland Chapels 8300 W. Lawrence Ave. Norridge, Il. Entombment will follow at Queen of Heaven Cemetery at the Christ the King Mausoleum in Hillside, Il.