Obituaries

Obituary: Margaret "Peggy" Chase Alves, 79, of Middlebury

Calling hours for Margaret "Peggy" Chase Alves will take place in August.

 

Margaret “Peggy” (Chase) Alves, 79, died Sunday morning, July 29, 2012 at home, surrounded by her six children, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was the widow of Victor G. Alves.

Alves was born in Fairhaven, Mass. on June 24, 1933, daughter of the late Walter and Margaret (Hayhurst) Chase. She lost her mother at a young age, and thus her life of sacrifice and hard work began. She worked days while helping to raise a younger sister, Eleanor, and went to school nights to earn her high school diploma.

Alves married her late husband Victor on April 19, 1952, and moved from Massachusetts to Naugatuck, Conn. in 1960, later moving to Middlebury, Conn. in 1974.

Victor died just short of the celebration of their 40th wedding anniversary. While raising their family, Alves worked as a waitress and later manager for the Litchfield Farm Shop. She also worked at Pete’s Place in Wolcott, the Pewter Pot and the Pizza Villa Family Restaurant in Southbury. With a smile on her face, and a warm greeting on her lips, she instantly won the hearts of people.

Alves' greatest gift was making everyone in her extensive circle of people feel special and loved. Her greatest joys were spent with her family in Connecticut, and on the Cape. She loved to dance, travel, shop, dine, connect with her life long friends like Eileen, and take trips to Fort Phoenix with her dear sister-in-law and friend Patsy. She was blessed with a second love, John “Poppy” Francis with whom she shared a good life at Dana Farms in Fairhaven, Mass. until his death in 2008.

A devoted mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, Alves was adored by all who knew and loved her. She is survived by her six children: Carol Eaton and her husband Tom of Naugatuck, Susan Cavanaugh and her husband John of Southbury, Steven Alves and his wife Jaime of Rhinebeck, N.Y., Margaret Belden and her husband Jim of Middlebury with whom she resided, Maryann Morehouse and her husband Frank of Middlebury, and Gayle DiBenedetto and her husband T.J. of Sandy Hook; 10 grandchildren: Trisha Davis-Gray, Jake, Jamie and Chase Belden, Brittany and Brandon Ziman, Nicholas and Rachel Swenson, Theo and Levi Osterman-Alves; a sister, Eleanor Bancroft of Lakeville, Mass., and several nieces and nephews.

Alves battled three different cancers with strength, courage, and dignity. The family extends their gratitude to the experts at the Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center at the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, especially to Dr. Kert Sabbath, Karen Hammond, and Nurse Kathy Petit. They are indebted to Dr. Beth Sieling for her compassion, care, and personal outreach to their mother.

Calling Hours: 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 1, at Chase Parkway Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home, 430 Chase Parkway, Waterbury.

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Memorial Mass: 11 a.m. Friday, August 3, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church, 30 South Main St., Assonet, Mass.

Burial will be held in Massachusetts.

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In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Peggy’s name to either:

  • Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center at the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, 1075 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708
  • Susan G. Koman for the Cure Foundation 350 Church Street, Hartford, CT 06103


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