Former Mt. Pleasant funeral director, state legislator Eugene Saloom spent life 'helping people'

Whether it was helping a constituent acquire a replacement driver’s license, working on a grant application for a local community or assisting someone with funeral preparations, former state representative and Mt. Pleasant funeral director Eugene G. Saloom always enjoyed helping others, according to family members.

Saloom, 87, of Mt. Pleasant Township died Sunday, May 15, 2022, in Somerset Hospital of heart failure after a lengthy battle with diabetes. He was born Sept. 22, 1934, in Mt. Pleasant, a son of the late George and Isabelle (Karfelt) Saloom.

“My dad loved talking with people. And he really enjoyed helping people,” said his daughter, Dr. Charlene R. Saloom.

“It could be the littlest thing like helping someone with a driver’s license or anything like that. He just really loved helping other people, which is why he liked being a state legislator a lot. And he really did help a lot of people and a lot of causes, too,” she said.

Saloom was a graduate of Ramsay High School, Class of 1953, Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science in 1955, earned an associate degree from Elon College in 1958 and served in the Army from 1958 to 1960.

Known as “Gene,” Saloom and his late wife, Nancy, established Eugene G. Saloom Funeral Home in 1960, which they jointly operated for more than 40 years.

“I know if people didn’t have money, he still did their funerals offering to take whatever they could afford. Some people paid off their arrangements paying $10 a month,” said Saloom’s niece, Pat Barrick of Norvelt.

Barrick also recalled that Saloom, as he started his funeral business, also worked at his father’s store, a fixture on West Main Street, “for $25 a week.”

He served 20 years in the state House of Representatives from 1967 to 1976 and again from 1983 until 1992, when the legislative district was eliminated through reapportionment.

He was chairman of the state Liquor Control Committee while serving in the state Legislature, and his daughter noted he was an ardent proponent of raising the speed limit to 65 mph on the turnpike during his terms.

In addition to being a state legislator and operating the funeral home, Saloom raised beef cattle.

“It was more of a hobby. But we still have some cattle here,” she said.

While her father enjoyed socializing, she said her mother, Nancy was more of a homebody.

“She loved staying home with her children, grandchildren and pets,” Charlene Saloom said.

“They did enjoy traveling to Atlantic City together to gamble, and they did win things there. I remember they won a trip to Switzerland, and they also won a cruise once that she tried to pawn off because she used to get seasick. But they ended up going and enjoyed it very much,” Charlene Saloom said.

On Dec. 11, 2021, Nancy Saloom died and Charlene said her father was “heartbroken.”

The couple were married for 63 years, meeting when she worked as a waitress at the former Jimmy Paul’s Restaurant in East Huntingdon, Barrick said.

Saloom also loved deer hunting every year and harvested a prize trophy bear that was a conversation piece at the funeral home for many years.

“After the funeral home was sold, it was moved to my wall,” Charlene said.

The couple cherished their three grandsons and one granddaughter, family members said.

Saloom ran the first ambulance service in Mt. Pleasant and was a longtime member of the Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. He served on the Mt. Pleasant Area School Board, was a member of the Shriners, a 50-year member of Marion Lodge, 562 F&AM, and a board member of Southwest Behavioral Health. Gene also served on the Jacobs Justice Board of Frick Hospital.

In addition to his daughter, Dr. Charlene R. Saloom, he is survived by a son, Charles R. Saloom of Surfside Beach, S.C.; three grandsons, Nathan, Thaddeus, and Alexander; a granddaughter, Sidney, and her mother, Kelly; sisters-in-law, Dolly Stewart, Gloria Saloom and Marlene Saloom; and brother-in-law Herb Tempest.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Albert and Joseph Saloom and sisters, Effie Trogdon and Charlotte Mowry.

Family and friends will be received at Galone-Caruso Funeral Home, 204 Eagle St., Mt. Pleasant from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, at which time his funeral service will begin with the Rev. Dr. Dale Porterfield officiating. Military rites will follow in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

Marion Lodge 562 will conduct memorial services in the funeral home Friday at 7 p.m.