Pauline G. Valerio

Pauline Genevieve (Bobola) Valerio, 78, of East Hartford, loving wife to Robert Valerio Sr., peacefully passed away Saturday, March 23, 2024 at home with her husband at her side. Pauline was born November 13, 1945 in Fall River, MA, daughter to the late Ludwik and Genevieve (Dzialo) Bobola. She attended and graduated 8th grade from the Holy Cross Polish Catholic School of Fall River, continuing and graduating from Somerset High School class of 1963 in Somerset, MA, then Business School in New Bedford, MA. She and Robert were married in Fall River, June 5, 1965. They had two children, Christine in 1966 and Robert II in 1970. Pauline began her work career at Little Aetna in Hartford, where she worked for a few years, deciding to leave the workforce for 12 years to raise their children. She returned to the workforce working for agencies before settling at ADP agency. The Valerio family gives special thanks to a dear friend Helen and hospice nurse Delmar.

Pauline was a skilled seamstress, making many clothes for her husband and children on her Singer Touch and Sew Sewing Machine, which she chose over a diamond engagement ring in 1964 when Robert proposed to her. She still has the machine to this day. Her other talent, from middle to retirement age, was her gift of painting. Preferring acrylic paints, she painted large scenes, birds, especially Cardinals, and lighthouses.

In 2015, Pauline had her first bad episode of muscle weakness while walking into her kitchen. Her leg gave out, causing her to fall and break eight bones in her left foot. In 2017, she fell outside near the mailbox, fracturing her fibula. As a result of that fall, and testing, Pauline was diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis, a rare (10/1,000,000) debilitating, challenging autoimmune disease which causes muscle weakness and damage. This robbed Pauline’s body of the ability to stand and walk, use of her hands to grasp objects, feed herself (including the ability to swallow food and drink), or even turn in bed. She was a longstanding parishioner of North American Martyrs Parish, St. Mary Church in East Hartford.

Along with her husband Robert Sr., Pauline leaves her daughter, Christine Valerio of Virginia; her son, Robert II and wife Christina of East Windsor and their daughter, Sierra of Virginia; granddaughter Lexie Boucher; along with her sister Dorothy Minson of Virginia, a niece Susan, a nephew Douglas and many close and dear friends.

Friends and relatives may pay their respects to the Valerio family, Tuesday, March 26, 2024 from 4-7 p.m. at the D’Esopo-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter St., East Hartford. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. from the D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church of North American Martyrs Parish,15 Maplewood Ave., East Hartford. Burial will follow in Silver Lane Cemetery, Veteran’s Section HH, East Hartford. The family has requested memorial donations be made to Beacon Hospice Care, an Amedisys Company, 111 Founders Plaza, Suite #1802, East Hartford, CT 06108. To extend online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.desopoeh.com.