Sylvia “Dickie” Sabbia, 100, passed peacefully Oct. 10, 2023. She will be remembered by all who knew her for her joy and no nonsense personality.
Sylvia was born in Queens Feb. 22, 1923. Her family and friends nicknamed her Dickie after the character Dickie Dare. Sylvia was fearless and loved life.
In 1946, she married her beloved Frank Sabbia. They moved their growing family from Brooklyn to Walton in the early 1950s. Dickie and Frank raised four beautiful children on Griswold Street. While Frank ran his dental practice, Dickie stayed home with the children. After a time she went back to school for her library science degree. She became Walton Jr/Sr high school’s librarian. Dickie and Frank loved the life they built in Walton.
In the late 1980s they retired to Alabama, then Florida. They had an enormous motor home which they drove all over the country. They drove to visit all their grandchildren. In their “golden years,” Dickie and Frank enjoyed each other and their family as much as possible. They also enjoyed discovering new hobbies. Frank, with the steady hands of a dentist, made jewelry and stained glass. Dickie played golf regularly and absolutely loved playing cards. She loved cooking for her family. She was famous for her love of chocolate and always having at least three half-gallons of ice cream in her freezer.
Sylvia “Dickie” Sabbia was loved by any and all who knew her. She loved her husband endlessly. She loved her ever-growing family to the end. She was always there with a smile, a laugh, or a song. She will forever be missed.
Sylvia is predeceased by her loving husband of almost fifty nine years, Frank.
Sylvia is survived by her four children Barbara (Tom) Chesnut, John Sabbia, Dorothy (Jerry) Key, and Rick (Donna) Sabbia, her ten grandchildren, Brendan Vallely, Kate (Marty) Liddle, Mark (Stephanie) Vallely, Jason (Jennifer) Trippe, Kerri Butler, Taylor (Katie) Trippe, David (Stephanie) Key, Christopher (Taryn) Sabbia, Shannon (TJ) Race and Melissa (Jake) Wolfe, and 21 great-grandchildren.
