Ada Cristina Salas, Cristina to her friends, and forever ‘Nona’ to her seven cherished granddaughters, passed away on September 4, 2025, with her husband and sons at her side. She left this world as she lived in it: brave, dignified, and surrounded by those she loved most.

Cristina was born on May 1, 1943, in the idyllic seaside city of Mar del Plata, Argentina, into a large and close-knit family. Her father, Dr. Arnaldo Felix Pedro Bollo, was a respected physician and community figure, and her mother, Ada Nelly Castro de Bollo, was a devoted educator and school principal—one of eight spirited sisters who helped shape Cristina’s fierce familial loyalty and self-reliance. She was raised alongside her older brother, Felix Pedro Bollo, with whom she maintained a lifelong bond, even across continents, until his passing in 2021.

When she lost her father at the age of 19, his absence left a lasting mark. But her devotion to his memory and to the ideals he embodied was a guiding star for her throughout her life. Her mother lived a long life, and their relationship remained a constant source of support and connection, even after Cristina’s move abroad.

At the age of 16, Cristina met her match in wit and courage in Carlos Maria Jose Salas, the man who would become her husband of 57 years. Their partnership was the foundation of her life and a love that endured across decades, geographies, and every turn of fortune. They married in 1968 and welcomed their first son, Carlos Pedro, in 1971 while in Argentina.

But in 1973, Cristina made a decision with her young husband that would define her courage and character: she left behind all that was familiar and emigrated with her young family to Connecticut, committed to build a new life in a promising new land, and there welcomed her second son Martin. She arrived in a country she had never visited, where she did not speak the language, and began again. It was not the first time she would meet the unknown with determination.

Cristina was not one to be intimidated and offered sharp lessons to those who mistook her elegant femininity for weakness. As the only woman in her class graduating with a Chemical Engineering degree from the prestigious Universidad de La Plata, she began her career as an actual rocket scientist with the scientific research bureau of Argentina’s armed forces. Once in the United States, she rebuilt her career in industrial engineering and environmental health and safety—fields where women were still a rarity. Her intelligence, clarity, and force of will earned respect among peers at first misled by her 5’3” frame, Argentine lilt and soft-spoken charm.

Together with Carlos, she balanced her career with raising her two sons with devotion and discipline. Then in the mid-1990s, Cristina and Carlos embraced yet another adventure, moving to Lake Wylie, South Carolina, the place that would become home for the last 30 years of her life. There they launched two businesses together. Partners in every sense, they worked side by side until their retirement in 2011.

By then, Cristina had assumed her favorite role of all: Nona. Her seven granddaughters became the center of her world. Each one of them knew Nona as a guiding force—loving, wise, and deeply invested in their lives. When they were old enough to absorb the experience, she and her husband took each granddaughter on a special journey abroad—from Italy to Spain, from Russia to South Africa—instilling in them a love for travel and the courage to see the world with open eyes.

Throughout her life, Cristina was known for her presence—graceful yet strong, elegant yet firm. Her small stature (which she described as “the perfect height”) never dimmed the strength of her voice or her convictions. She was unfailingly loyal to those she loved, clear-eyed in her judgments, and generous with her warmth. In her final years, as she faced illness, she did so with the same quiet fortitude that had carried her across oceans and through decades of challenge and change. Cristina built a life that honored where she came from and elevated all those who came after her.

She leaves behind a legacy of love, resilience, and profound commitment to her family. She is survived by her husband Carlos, her sons Carlos Pedro (wife Alison) and Martin Miguel (wife Jessica), and her seven granddaughters Carolina, Gabriela, Eva, Natalia, Helena, Catalina and Alejandra, who will carry her memory forward with pride and affection.

To honor her memory, her family will host on September 14:

A visitation from 2-4pm at M.L Ford & Sons, 4820 Charlotte Hwy, Lake Wylie, SC 29710

A celebration of life and reception from 4-6pm at River Hills Country Club, 1 Country Club Lane, Lake Wylie, SC 29710

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.