SACO — Meredyth “Chippy” Anne Cleaves Chabot, 80, passed away at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House surrounded by the love of her family on Wednesday, March 24, 2021.

She was born in Dexter, Maine on August 5, 1940, the daughter of Dennis and Dorothy Clark Cleaves
Sr. Early in her teens, she became known as “Chippy” for being a “chip off the old block” of her father. She was a graduate of Dexter High School and it was there that she met the one and only love of her life, Maurice Chabot. Chippy and Maurice raised their family in Cumberland and lived there from 1965 to 2012 until they moved to Saco. She was a member of the Lioness Club and quilters groups in Cumberland and they were both long-standing members of Sacred Heart Parish, Yarmouth. While Chippy worked at several jobs over the years, she said that she had the best job in the world as a wife, mother and homemaker to her family. She greatly treasured time spent with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and always brought out the best in them.

Although she never gave herself credit, she was a wonderful conversationalist as she was an empathetic listener and truly enjoyed learning about everyone she met. Chippy was also an accomplished quilter, knitter, and a wonderful cook; she loved to bake goodies for her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. She treasured traveling with her husband over the last 20 years and they enjoyed staying at their timeshares in the United States and Europe. They often shared their vacations and invited their extended family to join them. More recently, she enjoyed knitting hats and donated hundreds of them to local homeless shelters and was passionate about providing new Mainers with “Welcome Bags” through the local non-profit,Maine Needs.

Meredyth appreciated nature from the comfort of her home. She enjoyed her game camera which allowed her to observe animal visitors in her backyard and she was delighted to have witnessed numerous fox families raising their young in the backyard den. She was passionate about, and soothed by, the various birds that visited her feeders, especially the hummingbirds.

She was predeceased by Maurice Chabot, her loving husband of 60 years, in 2019.

She is survived by a son, Christopher Chabot and wife Heather of Campton, N.H.; a daughter Kimberly Chabot of Saco; a daughter Kelly Chabot Moore and husband Jim of Bridgton. She was also blessed with 10 grandchildren: Delaney, Andrew, Sierra, Lindsay, Ryan, Tanner, Cassidy, Nicholas, Stephanie, and Jacob and 10 great-grandchildren, Brayden, Liam, Lucas, Emjae, Audriana, Olivia, Gwendolyn, Zuri, Juliana, and James.

She was predeceased by her sister Penelope Cleaves Richardson and is survived by her sister Cynthia Simpson of Gorham, and her brother Dennis Cleaves Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Friends and family may call at the Dennett, Craig & Pate Funeral Home, 365 Main Street, Saco on Thursday, May 20, 2021 from 4 to 6 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m., on May 21, 2021, at Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main Street, Yarmouth, followed by interment at Moss Side Cemetery, Main Street, Cumberland Center, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband Maurice.

Memorial donations may be made in Meredyth’s honor to Maine Needs, P. O. Box 4174, Portland, ME 04101.