NEW BEDFORD - Dorothy “Dot” (Avila) Horta, 83, a longtime resident of New Bedford, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 23, 2018.
Born in South Dartmouth, she was the daughter of the late Maria A. (Silva) Chaves and the late Joao Avila and stepdaughter of the late Antonio Chaves. She lived in the south end of New Bedford for most of her life, and for the past two years at Whaler’s Cove.
A graduate of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Dot worked as a stitcher at Langshaw and Vanessa’s in New Bedford for many years.
Dot loved to dance and loved Elvis, but her greatest love she had was for her family. She was a single mom so she was very close with her two daughters. They were everything to her as she was to them. She was such a big part of their lives. She took care of her grandchildren for many years and in later years her great-grandchildren.
Survivors include two daughters, Donna Mello and husband Roger of West Wareham and Judy DeMello and husband Chris of Centerville; a sister, Agnes Drouin; three grandchildren, Britnie (DeMello) Calculator and husband Trevor of Somerset, Kristofer DeMello and wife Christine of Vermont, and Noah DeMello of Boston; three great-grandchildren, Riley and Grayson Calculator and Iris Ann DeMello. She was also survived by three step grandchildren, Jeffrey Mello and wife Tara of Alabama, Jason Mello and wife Motoyo of Missouri, and Jeremy Mello and wife Katie of Middleboro; six step great-grandchildren, Jazmine, Isabella, Jackson, Jameson, Sachi and Kenji; and several nieces and nephews