Carmelita's Story
Carmen M. Salvagno was the youngest of seventeen children born to Manuel and Francisca Gomez on September 24, 1919 in Bexar County. She later married Danuncio Gabriel Salvagno in New York on August 2, 1941 and raised their five children in the same home for forty years in south San Antonio.
Carmen, better known as "Carmelita" to her loved ones, spent her life achieving God's purpose through her gifts. She raised her children in an atmosphere of laughter, music, and song and left a legacy of unconditional love.
Although blind, she taught herself to play the piano, guitar, accordion and mandolin, while accompanied by her angelic voice of harmony.
She was very active in the Hijas de Maria and St. Cecilia's Church, as a member of the Guadalupanas and the English and Spanish Choir.
Carmelita's Latin Cocina is named in her honor by Carmen's grandson, Erich Mota, as a testament to his abuela cariņosa (loving grandmother).