Barbara Chiappetta, beloved mother and devoted wife, left this earth on Thursday August 21st at the age of 80.

To say Barbara was a fighter would be an understatement of the highest order. She was an absolute champion for those she loved the most, including her husband Frank, her sons Frank and Darren, her friends, and her pets – and would stop at nothing to make sure those around her were safe and protected.

Born in Erie, Pennsylvania on December 7, 1944, her "normal" life was anything but. In her post-high school years, she ventured off to exotic locales like Bermuda to live for a time, but eventually settled in Connecticut, where she met her husband-to-be on a double blind date. As the story goes, she was actually on a date with the OTHER guy, but Frank was so smitten he had to try and get together with young Barbara. After dating for a while, they split up, but friends let her know that her jilted lover was "like a lost puppy dog" without her, and they eventually reconciled, and stayed married for 55 years.

She was a doting mother, not only to her kids, but to the dozens of pets that joined the family through the years. Though she loved them all, she had a special affinity for dogs Maddie and Chloe, and parrot (yes, parrot) Danny. If she made just the right clicking noises, he would bob his head, and they would "dance" together, which was always a source of great joy for both of them.

Even in her working life, she chose to support others. At one point, she served as a drug addiction specialist/advocate, where part of the job was to drive into dangerous inner-city areas to pick up and drop off clients. In addition to the personal rewards she got from the job, she also received something tangible when one of her grateful clients gifted her Samantha the cat, who joined the Chiappetta pet parade and became another of Barbara's favorites.

When faced with incredible personal adversity, her unconquerable spirit came shining through. She endured a myriad of health issues, including having (and beating) cancer three different times. She was also forced to face devastating personal loss when her son Frank passed away in 2021, which was around the time her husband began slipping more deeply into the clutches of vascular dementia.

Yet, she never let any of these challenges affect her desire to love and protect both Frank's memory and the lives of her husband Frank and remaining living son Darren, as well as Chloe and Casey, her two constant canine companions.

She's survived by her husband Frank, son Darren and daughter-in-law Dawn, her dog Casey, and brothers John-Peter and Michael Bradford.

Visitation will be Wednesday August 27th from 9-10 A.M. at Munson Lovetere Funeral Home located at 235 Main Street North, Southbury. A funeral mass will follow visitation at 11 A.M. at Sacred Heart Church located 910 Main St South, Southbury. Burial to follow at New North Cemetery in Woodbury.

Rest easy, Mom. You deserve it more than anyone I've ever known.

To leave an online condolence please visit munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.