Dora Cabral Varela

Dora Cabral Varela, 88, of Chandler, Arizona, entered into eternal peace on August 5, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on July 18, 1937, in Jerome, Arizona, to Manuel and Alejandra Varela. Dora grew up in Jerome helping at her parents’ grocery store, The Gulch Store, and attending Mingus Mountain High School.  After the closure of the mine in Jerome, the family moved to Phoenix, where she graduated from Phoenix Union High School. After high school, she married Amado Olvera in 1956 and they had 4 children, Elisa, Roberta (Robbie), Pilar and Patrick. Amado passed away in 1973.

Dora worked at Motorola in East Phoenix for 20+ years before retiring. She then worked at other companies for a number of years. Some of her greatest joys were visiting with family, reading books and socializing with friends while working on quilts at the Chandler Community Center.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Manuel and Alejandra Varela, her brothers, Joe Varela and Manuel Varela, her brother-in-law, Richard Quesada, and sister-in-law, Alice Varela.

She is survived by her 4 children, Elisa Olvera, Robbie Olvera, Pilar (Jeremy) Grunig, and Patrick (Rita) Olvera, one godson, Matthew Collins, as well as 4 grandsons, 2 great-granddaughters and 3 great-grandsons, and several nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by her siblings, Mary Winthrop, Pilar Quesada, and Tony (Rosalie) Varela. 

A memorial Mass will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tempe, AZ (1800 E Libra Drive) on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.