S. Pete SaliernoSeptember 05, 1933 - January 19, 2017VisaliaSavino Peter "Pete" Salierno was born on September 5, 1933 in Boston, Massachusetts. Pete passed away peacefully at home in Visalia, California on January 19, 2017. Pete was the first son of two Italian immigrants, Luisa and Savino Salierno. For the first 14 years of his life, Pete lived on White Street in East Boston, one of three brothers and seven sisters. In August, 1947 the Salierno family moved to Visalia and settled into a home on the corner of Tulare Ave. and Bridge St. As a youth in both Boston and Visalia, Pete excelled at baseball. Pete had aspirations of playing professional baseball until an arm injury permanently waylaid his dream. After a brief stint in the Army during the Korean War, Pete began a career in auto sales, working first as a salesman with a local dealer before establishing Main Auto Sales in 1960. In 1965, Pete opened the first Toyota dealership in Visalia, Main Toyota, at 1040 E. Main St. At this time Toyota was beginning a big push in America, with Main Toyota in Visalia serving as the only Toyota dealership between the Bay area and Bakersfield. The significance of this dealership was underscored during the grand opening of a new 60,000 square foot facility in October 1968, with the President of Toyota Motor Sales in attendance. In 1955, Pete married Anna Sherman of Visalia. They raised four children in Visalia. Pete's children fondly remember summer vacations to Southern California, including visits to Disneyland, Knots Berry Farm, Marineland, and Santa Monica beach. Multiple times in the early 1970s, he took the young sports fans in his life (several of his children, their friends, and his godson Paul Vitale) to watch the San Francisco Giants or the Oakland A's play ball. In 1977, Pete began a second career in real estate, eventually becoming a real estate broker and establishing Salierno Reality. In 1980 Pete and Anna acquired Valley Health, which operated for many years in the Visalia Mall. In 2012, the Tulare County Association of REALTORS (TCAOR) recognized Pete as an Honorary Member for Life for his 35 years as a member. A devout Catholic, Pete was a long time member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. In retirement, Pete enjoyed dancing, karaoke, and traveling. Pete was preceded in death by his first wife Anna Sherman Salierno, and his sisters Aurelia (who died in childhood), Frances, Josephine, Viola, and Aurelia (known as Lee). Pete is survived by his children, Diana, Debbie, Bill, and Donna, his companion and best buddy of 15 years, Elaine Brown, and by his siblings, Florence, Louise, Peter and Tony, and many nieces and nephews. A viewing will be held Monday, January 30, 2017 from 3pm to 6pm at Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W. Goshen Ave, Visalia. A Rosary service will commence at 6pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at 10am at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 608 Church St, Visalia, followed by burial in the Visalia Cemetery, 1300 W Goshen Ave. Immediately following burial, a reception will be held. Details will be available at Miller Memorial Chapel during the viewing and Rosary, and at St. Mary's Church following mass.Tributes and condolences may be offered at www.millerchapel.com