Dolores L. (Gallant) Chalifour, 85 of Marblehead, died Friday, February 14, 2014 at the Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Gloucester following a long battle with Parkinson Disease. She was the devoted wife of the late Oscar J. Chalifour.
Born and raised in Lawrence, she was the daughter of the late Anselm and Eugenie (Laroche) Gallant. Dolores was a graduate of St. Theresa High School in Lawrence. She and Oscar married in 1948 and shortly after the couple moved to Salem, where they raised their family, and spent their summers in Marblehead. It was during these years that she was an active member of the former St. Joseph Parish of Salem, as well as the CYO program, the Sodality Les Dames de la Ste. Famille, St. Joseph Prayer Community, and the St. Joseph Bowling League. In her spare time she also chaperoned for the Girls Scouts.
Always a deeply religious woman, and devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Dolores was a woman of service to family and others. In 1971 the couple moved to Marblehead. While in Marblehead Oscar became severely handicapped and Dolores devoted most of her time caring for him. She joined Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish and became involved with the parish Community Center, the Altar Guild, the Marriage Encounter program and cooking for the parish outreach program for housebound parishioners. She was also a volunteer knitter for Penny Bear of Marblehead. With all of this, chores were always done in good humor and with a smile. She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her two sons, Glenn O. Chalifour and his wife Terry of Berwick, ME, Daniel J. Chalifour and his wife Cynthia of Whitefield, NH, two daughters, Gail E. Chalifour of Marblehead, Cynthia L. Aldrich and her husband James of Manchester by the Sea, six grandchildren, Michael & Brian Chalifour, Becky Harmon and her husband Andrew, Corrine Turner and her husband Barry, Thomas & Evan Aldrich and 3 great-grandchildren, Channing, Quinlyn and Benjamin as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her sisters, Sr. Doris Gallant, SCIM, Evelyn Corbin and brother Roland Gallant.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Rt. 114 / 1-A] Salem, MA on Thursday, February 20, 2014 at 9:30 A.M. to be followed by her funeral mass in Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead at 11:00 A.M. Visiting hours in the funeral home will be on Wednesday from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. Burial will be in Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to My Brothers’ Table, 98 Willow St., Lynn, MA 01903. For guestbook and additional information, please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com