Julio Angelo ‘Jay’ Salerno, 81, of Norwell and Marion, died Friday, February 5, 2010 surrounded by his family at Quincy Medical Center after a brief illness. He was the son of the late Vito and Isabella Salerno. He served in the United States Army during World War II. A builder by trade and an innovative carpenter, he owned several businesses.

A kind and gentle man, he was nicknamed “Smiley.”

He was a loving and devot­ed family man. He was an animal lover and enjoyed crossword puzzles, playing cribbage and whist, and New England sports teams.

Julio took pleasure in spending summers in Marion and motor home camping in Florida.

Julio was the husband of the late Carole E. (Cedergren) Salerno. He was the loving father of Jon Vito Salerno, and his fian­cée Kim Gately, of Norwell; Lee Henrickson, and his wife Gale, of Brockton; and Sandra-Lynn (Henrickson) Knell, and her husband Brian, of Norfolk. He was the grandfather of six. He was the brother of Car­mela Cassidy of Weymouth and Lee Salerno of Quincy, and an uncle of several nieces and nephews.

Following cremation, call­ing hours are scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, February 13 at Waitt Funeral Home at 850 North Main Street in Brockton, followed by a 3 p.m. memorial service in Belcher Chapel at Waitt Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, me­morial gifts may be made to American Cancer Society, 538 Preston Avenue, P.O. Box 1004, Meriden Connecticut 06450; or to American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Attention: Special Giving’s Linda Tiramani, 5201 8th Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10018.