Valentino ‘Val’ Pestana, 84 of Lowell, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at Northwood Nursing Home after finding out January 5th he had stage 4 lung and brain cancer. He was born on January 23, 1941 in Graciosa, Azores, Portugal and was a son of the late Francisco Corriea Pestana and the late Juliet Quadros.
He was raised and educated in Graciosa where he lived until he relocated to Sao Miguel as a young man, working as a chef at a restaurant, where he met his wife, Alda Maria (DaSilva) Pestana, and they married in 1967 and shared 58 years together before she passed away in June of 2025. Val came over to the United States first, and Alda joined shortly after, settling in Lowell in 1968, where they made their home. He worked as a baker in Lowell for many years.
He lived in the South Lowell neighborhood for many years, before relocating to Florida for 15 years; eventually coming back to Lowell recently to be closer to family. He was a communicant of St. Anthony Church.
Val enjoyed spending time watching TV, camping, and taking trips to Hampton Beach. In his younger days, he enjoyed dancing. Above all else, he enjoyed time spent with his family.
He is survived by two children, Sandra Maria DelRiego and her husband, Jorge of Williston, Florida, and Valentino Q. Pestana, Jr. and his wife, Tamara of Jacksonville, NC; his grandchildren, Nina and her husband, Craig, Amy, Brandon, Andrew, Zayden, and Sebastían; and his great grandchildren, Macie, Maddie, Marcus, Kendall and William.
He is also survived by his cousin, Blandina Garcia of Lowell; his nieces and nephews, Theresa, Denise, Ricky Pestana, and Danny and Arthur Silva; his sister-in-law, Margarida Torres and her husband, Manuel of Lowell; his brother-in-law, Joe Matias of Lisbon, Portugal; his nieces, Marylou Piexoto of Lowell and Stephanie Landry and her husband, Tim of Nashua; his nephew, Manny Torres of Lowell; and grand nephews, Jacob and Collin.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by his brother, Eurico Pestana; his sister, Belmira Silva; his cousin, Elvino Garcia; and his nephews, Bobby Silva and Rodrigo Piexoto. Also his sister-in-laws, Liliana Matias and Fernanda Corriea; and his brother-in-law, Carlos DaSilva.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to: the American Diabetes Foundation at: https://diabetes.org/donate
On Monday, January 19, 2026 all are welcome to attend his calling hours from 2-6 p.m. at McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell 978-458-6816.
His funeral will begin on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by his funeral mass at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony Church, 893 Central Street, Lowell. Burial will follow at St. Patrick Cemetery.