Salvatore C. Anzalone Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to anyone lucky enough to know him, passed away peacefully on March 28, 2026. He was 80 years old.

Born on November 13, 1945, Sal grew up in Union, New Jersey, where he graduated from Union High School before proudly serving his country in the United States Army. Stationed in Germany, it was there that he met the love of his life — a meeting that would set the course of everything that followed. It was a sense of duty and devotion to others that would define the rest of his life.

In 1969, he married Elba Iris Garcia Anzalone, and together they built a home and raised two sons in Union, NJ — Salvatore T. Anzalone and Michael J. Anzalone. Sal went on to serve the community he loved as a member of the Union Fire Department, from which he retired.

In his later years, Sal relocated to South Carolina to be close to his granddaughters, Parker M. Anzalone and Emery J. Anzalone — a move that said everything about what mattered most to him.

A devout Catholic, Sal lived his faith not just in prayer but in action. He was the kind of man who noticed the person alone at the holidays — and then invited them home. On Thanksgiving, he would often bring in neighbors, friends, and co-workers without a place to be, setting extra plates without a second thought.

Sal was a loyal fan of the New York Yankees and New York Giants, a man who never missed Jeopardy! if he could help it — and who was sharp enough to have tried out for the show himself. He also loved his pizza and making people laugh.

He is survived by his wife, Elba; his sons, Salvatore and Michael; his daughter-in-law, Amy P. Anzalone; and his granddaughters, Parker and Emery. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rose Loria Anzalone and Salvatore C. Anzalone, and his sisters, Ida McMahon and Angelina Lewin.

Salvatore Anzalone Jr. was a kind and generous man. He leaves behind a family who adored him and a community of people whose lives are richer for having known him.

May he rest in peace.