Legend:
Maternal (Wilson/Mosher)
Paternal biological (Galavotti)
Paternal raised-by (Salinsky)
Alive
Biographies are being built from Newspapers.com (Publisher Extra tier), Ancestry.com All Access, Find A Grave, and prior research. Sections marked
Researching… are queued for later passes. Everything else is what's verified so far. See the
night session review for the full log of what was searched tonight.
Maternal side (Julie Wilson → Alex's mom)
Julie Wilson Salinsky Alive
Alex's mother
Born ~1955–1960 · daughter of Robert Alexander Wilson + Laura Adeline (Mosher) Wilson
What we know: Julie grew up in Oswego area. Married Roy Salinsky at Sacred Heart Church Cicero in October 1984. Full sister Martha Ann Wilson (now Martha Greenwood, lives in Virginia).
Key life event unknown until now: Julie was ~13-18 years old when her mother Laura died on August 28, 1973 at age 57 from a brain tumor. This is a huge formative event.
Newspapers.com hits (found tonight):
- Sun Feb 5, 1984 · Syracuse Herald-Journal p89 (4 matches) Likely engagement announcement — 8 months before their Oct 1984 wedding.
- Wed Feb 6, 1985 · Syracuse Herald-Journal p18 + p63 Two pages same day — likely wedding writeup + your birth announcement (you were born Dec 9, 1984).
Research still to open: the actual clipping images to pull the exact text of engagement + birth announcements.
Laura Adeline (Mosher) Wilson
Alex's maternal grandmother · Julie's mother
Born 1917 Oswego · Died August 28, 1973 in Oswego · age 57
Resolved 9/29 via Newspapers.com: Buried at Upson Corners Cemetery, County Rte 45, Fulton NY. Funeral handled by Dain Cullinan Funeral Home. Lived at Middle Road, Town of Scriba (rural east of Oswego) at time of death.
Parents: Charles W. Mosher + Nellie (Moody) Mosher (confirmed via obit index).
Siblings named in obit: Charles William "Geepa" Mosher, Alfred Francis "Al" Mosher, Thomas O. Mosher + 6 more.
Children named in obit: Wilber Fuller, Donald Sievers + 2 more. Fuller and Sievers surnames suggest Laura may have been married before Wilson — Julie could have older half-siblings.
Other person mentioned: Robert Breitwicser — unclear role (not her husband Robert Alexander Wilson).
Source: Syracuse Herald-Journal, Aug 23, 1973, page 3. Newspapers.com obit index pulled 9/29 late night.
Still to do: read full clipping image for narrative text, obituary text about her life, occupations, cause of death (was brain tumor per Julie's voice notes).
Robert Alexander Wilson
Alex's maternal grandfather · Julie's father
Died late 1990s in Oneida NY · worked NYS Dept of Agriculture
Researching: Newspapers.com hasn't returned an obit match for "Robert A Wilson" + Oneida in one pass. Need broader search + date-range narrow to 1997-2003 window suggested by hit counts.
Charles W. Mosher (Sr.) + Nellie (Moody) Mosher
Alex's maternal great-grandparents · Laura's parents
Confirmed as Laura's parents via her 1973 obit. Nellie died ~March 1988 per prior research notes.
Researching: Newspapers.com obits + articles, likely Palladium-Times Oswego.
Paternal raised-by side (Roy Salinsky → Alex's dad)
Roy Salinsky Alive
Alex's father (raised-by)
Born ~1955-1958 · lives Erieville NY per Bernice's 1987 obit reference
Married Julie Wilson at Sacred Heart Church Cicero, October 1984. Both his parents (John Leo + Bernice) died in July 1987 within 8 days of each other, when Roy was ~29 and Alex was 2.
Researching: news mentions across time.
John Leo Salinsky
Alex's paternal grandfather (raised-by) · Roy's father
Born 24 Jun 1924 · Died 29 Jul 1987 · age 63
Married Bernice Poplaski in 1953 (per prior notes, at Sacred Heart Church Cicero).
Full obit text preserved on the obituaries page from 1987 Post-Standard via Find A Grave.
Newspapers.com lifetime hits (69 total, found tonight):
- June 9-10, 1956 · Post-Standard Two consecutive-day mentions
- July 2-3, 1958 · Syracuse Herald-Journal + Post-Standard
- July 11, 1963 · Post-Standard p38
- Jan 27, 1966 · Post-Standard p9
- Dec 5, 1975 · Post-Standard p17
- May 25, 1976 · The Evening Telegram (Herkimer) Herkimer mention — likely wife Bernice's Poplaski family connection
- Jul 31, 1987 · Syracuse Herald-Journal p11 + p14 His obit, 2 days after his July 29 death
Research still to open: pre-1987 clippings to piece together his career and community activity across three decades.
Bernice (Poplaski) Salinsky
Alex's paternal grandmother (raised-by) · Roy's mother
Born 19 Sep 1919 Herkimer · Died 21 Jul 1987 · age 67
Native of Herkimer NY. Moved to Brewerton NY in 1953 (with John Leo). Member of Sacred Heart Church Cicero, Altar and Rosary Society.
Died 8 days before John Leo, both in July 1987. Alex is named in her obit as "a grandson" (Alex was 2).
Newspapers.com hits (76 total, found tonight):
- Thu Jul 23, 1987 · Syracuse Herald-Journal + Post-Standard (multiple pages) Her obit, spread across 8+ pages/editions.
Older career/community mentions in the 69 non-obit hits are queued.
Researching: her Poplaski parents. Herkimer parish call scheduled Tue morning to pull their names + burial info.
Paternal biological side (Galavotti)
Raymond M. Galavotti Alive
Alex's biological father
Born ~1955-1960 · lives 385 Rosewood Cir, Canastota NY · married Tammy Galavotti · daughters Rosa + Jennifer
Alex sent certified letter with return receipt 9/28. Both phone numbers dead (315-697-9994, 315-697-2546). Runs Galavotti Townhomes real estate business from 340 Rosewood Cir, inherited from grandfather Ranato's land development.
Researching: news mentions (real estate business, community, family events).
Raymond E. Galavotti Jr.
Alex's biological paternal grandfather · Ray M's father
Born September 16, 1928 Canastota · Died June 21, 2017 · age 88
Buried Saint Agatha Cemetery Canastota (confirmed by Larry from J. Homer Ball Funeral Home email 9/29). Full obit on the obituaries page. Photographed in uniform on Legacy.com — role TBD (possibly Canastota village police, security).
Newspapers.com hits (57 total, found tonight):
- Aug 29, 1950 · Syracuse Herald-Journal p6 (19 matches on page) Early adult mention — Ray Jr was 22.
- Jan 28, 1966 · Post-Standard p1 (16 matches) Front-page mention — high-signal event.
- Mar 19, 1986 · Post-Standard (5 pages, 8-11 matches each) Mass coverage — likely father Ranato's death (Ranato d. 1986) with Ray Jr named as survivor.
- Jul 4, 1996 · Post-Standard p17 (26 matches on page) High-density mid-90s coverage.
- Jun 25, 2017 · Post-Standard B4-01 (22 matches on page) His obit, 4 days after his June 21 death.
Research still to open: 1950 + 1966 + 1996 clippings for narrative context (front-page 1966 especially).
Betty L. (Britton) Galavotti
Alex's biological paternal grandmother · Ray Jr's wife
Born October 11, 1930 Oneida · Died August 17, 2026 Oneida Healthcare · age 95
Buried Lenox Rural Cemetery Canastota, Section S (confirmed by Larry from J. Homer Ball Funeral Home email 9/29 — no monument yet). Bakery manager at Tops Friendly Market Oneida for many years, retired 1996. Member of Hope Christian Fellowship Canastota (Protestant — different faith than Ray Jr = different cemetery). Full obit on the obituaries page.
Parents: Carl + Reba (Snyder) Britton. Brother Larry Britton (Munnsville) still alive.
Researching: bakery career notes, church activities, community mentions.
Ranato "Ray" Galavotti
Alex's biological paternal great-grandfather
Born 1903 Italy · Immigrated 1920 · Died 1986 Palm Beach County FL (snowbird) · buried Saint Agatha Cemetery Canastota
Developed the Rosewood Cir / Galavotti Pl neighborhood in Canastota — that's why the street bears his name.
Researching: Italian hometown (via 1920 Ellis Island records on Ancestry), business news, community mentions.
Rose (Micheletti) Galavotti
Alex's biological paternal great-grandmother · Ranato's wife
Born Feb 7, 1903 · Died April 1, 2000 · buried Saint Agatha Cemetery Canastota
Researching: Italian roots, family life.
Half-sisters (bio side)
Rosa M. Galavotti Alive
Alex's half-sister (Ray M + Tammy's daughter)
Adult · lives Arlington VA · works Fox5 DC (WJLA-TV background) as Studio Technician
LinkedIn DM sent 9/28. No response yet.
Researching: news mentions, professional profile, work bylines.
Jennifer M. Galavotti Mueller Alive
Alex's half-sister (Ray M + Tammy's daughter)
Adult · NRLA Coordinator · secretary Coeymans Hollow Fire Department · married Kenneth Mueller · sons Nathaniel + Lincoln Olejer (from previous marriage)
LinkedIn DM sent 9/28. Betty's 2026 obit named her + Kenneth Mueller + kids, cross-referenced Spokeo to confirm Ray M + Tammy as parents.
Researching: fire department news, coordinator role coverage, community mentions.
Possible maternal half-siblings for Julie (surprise from Laura's obit)
Wilber Fuller · Donald Sievers · +2 more
Named as Laura's "children" in her 1973 obit — likely Julie's half-siblings
Fuller and Sievers are not Wilson (Julie's father's surname). Most plausible read: Laura had children with prior husband(s) before marrying Robert Alexander Wilson. That means Julie has older half-brothers/sisters she may or may not know about.
Wilber Fuller Newspapers.com hits (found tonight):
- Aug 23, 1973 · Syracuse Herald-Journal p3, p8, p40 (3 hits same day as Laura's obit) Near-certain he's named IN Laura's obit as her son. Multi-page density confirms same event.
- May 12, 1959 · Oswego Palladium-Times p9 Independent Oswego mention — Wilber Fuller was in Oswego area 14 years before Laura died.
Next research pass: pull the Aug 23, 1973 clipping image to read the exact text naming Wilber as Laura's son (vs. son-in-law), + hunt Donald Sievers + the 2 unnamed others.