Abel da Silva Carvalho of Chicopee, passed away February 6, 2026 at his home surrounded by his family. Abel was respected and loved by all who knew him: a caring and kind man who lent a helping hand to anyone who needed it. His life was defined by hard work and sacrifice, always to create a better future for his family. Abel was born on June 11, 1936 in Casal da Charneca (Evora de Alcobaca) Portugal. Big dreams and an adventurous heart lead Abel to Lisbon, where he knocked on a door and the love of his life, Maria Edite dos Santos, answered. Abel married Edite on December 9,1959, beginning a 66-year journey of devotion, travel, and friendship. In their marriage, Abel and Maria Edite raised a loving family of two daughters and four grandchildren. Abel loved nothing more than spending time with his family, whether that be holidays, trips to Portugal, or visits to Chicopee. Abel worked various jobs and held many titles over the course of his life. In Lisbon, he worked as a milkman, and drove the overnight shift as a taxi driver; in South Africa and Mozambique, he worked several construction jobs. He took these jobs to support his family, while dreaming of emigrating to the United States. In July of 1967, he fulfilled those dreams, moving his family to Chicopee, MA. There, he found work at the Springfield Foundry, later moving to Uniroyal Tire Company. In the late 1970s, following the closure of Uniroyal, Abel partnered with his brother-in-law and cousin to open “Casa dos Pescadores,” one of the first Portuguese restaurants in Chicopee. Pescadores introduced many to the Portuguese cuisine and culture, and sported the first commercial-style espresso machine in the area. After several years of success, the three men sold the restaurant, and Abel once again reinvented himself as a small business owner. He opened Abel’s Shoe Repair in Westfield, MA, using the skills he learned as a teenage apprentice back in Portugal. Never one to relax, he purchased and renovated two apartment complexes and constructed his own family home, where he lived the rest of his life. He retired at 58, devoting his time to taking good care of his properties, and enjoying many summer months in Portugal with his friends and family. When he wasn’t tending to his apartments or making memories in Portugal, Abel enjoyed many hobbies, including wine making, wood working, and tinkering in his work shop. He never met a mechanical thing he could not fix. Community was important to Abel: He was a proud member of the Chicopee Portuguese American Club, as well as a faithful parishioner of St. Stanislaus Parish of Chicopee. Abel leaves behind his wife, Maria Edite; daughters Idalia Carvalho, Ana Paula Carvalho Peterson and her late husband John; and grandchildren Joshua Carvalho Welch and his wife Melody Smith, Jacob Carvalho Peterson and his wife Danielle Peterson, Luke Carvalho Peterson, and Elisa Carvalho Welch. He also leaves behind his brothers and his sister, as well as sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, and nephews, some of whom have predeceased him. He is predeceased by his parents, Joaquim Carvalho and Elisa Da Silva. Visitation hours will be Sunday, February 15, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Grise Funeral Home, 280 Springfield St, Chicopee, MA. The funeral is Monday, February 16, 2026 from 9:30am - 10:30am at the Grise Funeral Home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Stanislaus Church at 11am. A private burial will take place in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Suffield CT. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations in his memory can be sent to Baystate Hospice and Patient Funds, 280 Chestnut St, 5th FL, Springfield MA 01199