On October 12, 1960 James (Jim) Thomas Saltas was born in Salt Lake City to his parents Tom and Mabel Saltas. Jim was raised in Magna and attended Cyprus High School. He was very involved in school, loved playing baseball and was elected Senior Class President.
Jim continued his education at Southern Utah State College. It was here that he met the love of his life Sharon. They were married on May 24th, 1986. When Sharon passed in 1997, she left a hole in Jim’s heart that never fully healed.
Jim taught for Granite School District for 34 years. He loved teaching US History and being the SBO Advisor at Bennion Jr. High School, but it was the kids that he really loved and talked about. Jim was adored by students and coworkers alike. He loved baseball games and especially the New York Yankees. He was so proud of his Greek heritage and talked of going back to Greece with his “kids” one day. Jim found such joy in being a ‘Papou’ to George, Mabel and Pepper. He never missed a birthday or holiday visit where he would read books, bring gifts and a bag of change he saved between visits.
Jim died February 19, 2023 from the effects of a hemorrhagic stroke. He was preceded in death by his parents Thomas George Saltas, Mabel Saltas and wife Sharon. He is survived by his brothers Stan (Karen) Saltas, George (Tamela) Saltas; nieces Stephanie Saltas, Heather Hayes, Alexie Saltas; nephews Paul (Natalie) Saltas, Thomas (Abbey) Saltas; his three grandchildren George, Mabel and Pepper Saltas and his beloved bird Frankie.
A service will be held at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. 10600 So. Sandy, Ut. on Saturday February 25, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. There will be a viewing Friday from 6:00-8:00 pm and one hour prior to services on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jim’s name to Shriners Hospital.
Oh Mr. Saltas.
He was one of the many favorite teachers I looked forward to going into his class in junior high school. This just breaks my heart. Yet I'm glad he is no longer in pain and with his sweet wife. He will definitely be missed!
Jim was a great teacher. His influence bettered many a student in a positive way.
I have daughters who gained great confidence in many aspects of their lives.
Thank you Mr. Saltas you will be sorely missed. Thanks for all the things you did for our kids.
It was my privilege to work with Jim the who time he was here at Bennion Jr. High. We shared many a laugh and heartfelt talks over the years. He came to visit me in December and give me a big hug. Jim gave great hugs. I will truly miss this amazing man! He would IM me every morning with a flower emoji or a "Good Morning". I will cherish the time and memories we had together Saltas!
Mr. Saltas will always be the most memorable teachers I ever had the pleasure of having. I was blessed to have him for History as well as he his teachers aid. Rest in peace Mr. Saltas. Thank you for having such a profound impact in my life.
Jim was such a wonderful teacher and coworker. I was sometimes in charge of meetings for struggling students. Jim would attend with positive feedback. He was optimistic about students and their progress. He cared for everyone. He was funny and loved by so many. As a coworker, he was bold and not scared to speak up in meetings. He had so much perspective, having been working in education for so long. I was a new teacher and he was willing to offer advice, but still treated me like an equal. I am so saddened to hear of this lost. I send my warmest wishes to his family. His loss is felt here at school, but I know the loss you will feel is great. I will be sending prayers of comfort and tenderness to your family during this time. God bless.
Many years ago, in 2016, Mr. Saltas was the teacher for my 8th grade United States history class. It was a class that I came to enjoy due to his passion for teaching, making the subject fun and interesting to learn about. I vividly remember the kindness and caring demeanor of Mr. Saltas, which made him one of my favorite teachers in the entire middle school.
Mr. Saltas, thank you for being the kind of person you were. I was always eager to come to your class because of your friendly nature, your talent for making the class fun, and your desire to see your students succeed.
To the friends and loved ones of Mr. Saltas, I am sorry for the loss you have suffered. I hope you find peace in celebrating his life and accomplishments.
Mr. Saltas is one of those teachers that has held a special place in my heart through the years. It’s been 27 since I was in his class, but I remember his smile and warm presence like it was yesterday. When the OJ verdict was in, he rolled in a tv so we could all watch (stunned) together. I was so lucky to have you in my life.
Oh how I will miss Jim! He was wonderful to work with and we enjoyed pranks on each other every now and then. He had such pride in Bennion Jr High and he loved the kids. I do not live far from Jim and we would race home on different routes to see who got home first. He walked with me last summer as I was recovering from surgery and I always received a honk and wave as he passed my house. ( I will miss that) Such a good sweet man with a joy for teaching and a friend to all. He made a mean Greek salad we all enjoyed. I know he will miss Thom and Abby and their 3 children which he talked about a lot and enjoyed being with them.
I was a student of Mr. Saltas (99-01) and he was also my advisor as a cheerleader at Bennion Jr. High. He was such an incredible advocate for all of his students and a kind listening ear in those sometimes difficult Jr. High years. He had the most impact on my life of any teacher I ever had I still think fondly of him. I am so sorry to hear of his passing.