Dolores Chipelo

St. Petersburg, FL Dolores Valinho Chipelo, 78, of St. Petersburg, Florida, wife of Henrique Chipelo, Sr. passed away November 8, 2022, surrounded by her loving family at her home.

Dolores was born on February 4, 1944, in Waterbury Connecticut daughter of the late Joaquim Santos Valinho and Maria Oliveira Valinho and had lived in Florida for the past 50 years.

Dolores graduated with her bachelor’s degree in education (1966) and master’s degree in education (1970) from Southern Connecticut State University. Dolores worked as a schoolteacher in Connecticut and at St. Vincent’s pre-school and Azalea Elementary School in St. Petersburg for over four decades, prior to retiring to spend time with her family.

In her free time, Dolores enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She enjoyed traveling around the world and especially enjoyed volunteering and mentoring in the classroom. Dolores was a parishioner of The Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church as well as a founding member of the Portuguese American Suncoast Association (PASA), where she held the position of Secretary Treasurer. Dolores was also a founding member of the PASA dance group.

Dolores’ legacy is survived by her husband, Henrique Chipelo, Sr.; son, Henrique Chipelo, Jr. and his wife, Kathy; daughter, Faith Schneider and her husband, Jon; son, Rodney Chipelo, and his wife, Jenelyn; five grandchildren, Kristen and Kimberly, Noelle, Josie, and Richard, two great grandchildren, Kaylei and Leo, and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In addition to her mother and father, Dolores was predeceased by her brother, Joaquim “Jack” Santos Valinho, Jr.; stepmother, Maria Ferreira Valinho; stepbrother, John Graves and stepsister, Maria Helena Goncalves.

A Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 10:00am at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 2071 Baldwin Street, Waterbury, CT. Everyone attending is kindly asked to please meet directly at church. Burial will follow in St. James Cemetery, Cross Street, Naugatuck, CT. There are no calling hours and local arrangements have been entrusted to the Buckmiller Thurston Mengacci Funeral Home, 82 Fairview Avenue, Naugatuck, CT. In lieu of flowers and to honor Dolores’ memory, contributions may be made to Empath Suncoast Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33760.