Obituary for Salvatore James Cutruzzula
Salvatore “Sal” James Cutruzzula Sr. of Millbrook, AL passed away peacefully in his sleep Saturday, January 21, 2023, after a long battle with Parkinson’s and dementia.
Sal was born March 7, 1940, to Mary Gelormini and Frank Cutruzzula in Pittsburgh, PA. After Salvatore graduated from Westinghouse High School, he went on to serve his country in the Air Force as a helicopter mechanic. While stationed at Craig Air Field in Selma, AL he met and married Bettie Jo Belcher of Benton, AL. They went on to have four children, Wanda Lynne (Cutruzzula) Kutney, Salvatore James Cutruzzula Jr., Michael Oma Cutruzzula, and Anna Cristina (Cutruzzula) Underwood.
After leaving the Air Force he went into business for himself opening Sal’s Superette in the late 60’s in Benton, AL which later became Sal’s Clover Farm. He also cut pulpwood and did a little dirt track racing for his father-in-law, and he even went on to achieve a lifelong dream of getting his pilot license in the late 70’s.
In the early 80’s he opened a second business in Hayneville, AL called Boxcar Chicken. He got the idea to buy three old boxcars and weld them together into a “U” shape and turn them into a chicken restaurant/convenience store and gas station.
Later on in life he reinvented himself again and became a long haul over the road flatbed truck driver for SMX out of Fort Dodge, IA.
He was for the most part a self-made man. He loved to read, study, and learn new things whether it was learning to fly, restoring cars or houses, learning about IRAs or money markets, history, travel, and even yoga! He loved going back to his hometown of Pittsburgh to visit family and friends when he could as well as the white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast.
After retiring he and his wife Bettie, settled in Millbrook, AL.
Sal is preceded in death by his wife, Bettie Jo (Belcher) Cutruzzula, son, Salvatore Cutruzzula Jr. and sister, Angela (Cutruzzula) Calvano. He is survived by his daughters Wanda Kutney, and Anna (Roger) Underwood, son Mike (Lorraine) Cutruzzula, and brothers Frank Cutruzzula, Ralph Cutruzzula, and Arthur Cutruzzula as well as grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
The family will receive friends, Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. with a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel. Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing.
Sal was born March 7, 1940, to Mary Gelormini and Frank Cutruzzula in Pittsburgh, PA. After Salvatore graduated from Westinghouse High School, he went on to serve his country in the Air Force as a helicopter mechanic. While stationed at Craig Air Field in Selma, AL he met and married Bettie Jo Belcher of Benton, AL. They went on to have four children, Wanda Lynne (Cutruzzula) Kutney, Salvatore James Cutruzzula Jr., Michael Oma Cutruzzula, and Anna Cristina (Cutruzzula) Underwood.
After leaving the Air Force he went into business for himself opening Sal’s Superette in the late 60’s in Benton, AL which later became Sal’s Clover Farm. He also cut pulpwood and did a little dirt track racing for his father-in-law, and he even went on to achieve a lifelong dream of getting his pilot license in the late 70’s.
In the early 80’s he opened a second business in Hayneville, AL called Boxcar Chicken. He got the idea to buy three old boxcars and weld them together into a “U” shape and turn them into a chicken restaurant/convenience store and gas station.
Later on in life he reinvented himself again and became a long haul over the road flatbed truck driver for SMX out of Fort Dodge, IA.
He was for the most part a self-made man. He loved to read, study, and learn new things whether it was learning to fly, restoring cars or houses, learning about IRAs or money markets, history, travel, and even yoga! He loved going back to his hometown of Pittsburgh to visit family and friends when he could as well as the white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast.
After retiring he and his wife Bettie, settled in Millbrook, AL.
Sal is preceded in death by his wife, Bettie Jo (Belcher) Cutruzzula, son, Salvatore Cutruzzula Jr. and sister, Angela (Cutruzzula) Calvano. He is survived by his daughters Wanda Kutney, and Anna (Roger) Underwood, son Mike (Lorraine) Cutruzzula, and brothers Frank Cutruzzula, Ralph Cutruzzula, and Arthur Cutruzzula as well as grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
The family will receive friends, Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. with a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel. Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing.