Newport Mayor Charlie Holder presented the city’s Medal of Honor to longtime resident Sarah Chilabato in recognition of her 100th birthday and a life defined by service, family, and community.
Born September 26, 1925, in Oran, Algeria, then a French colony, Chilabato answered the call to serve during World War II as a member of the U.S. Army. During her service she met U.S. Navy sailor Patrick Chilabato. The two wed, and Sarah became a proud war bride, beginning a new chapter in Newport.
Together, the couple opened a restaurant in the city and raised four children. Later, Chilabato built a career at People’s Credit Union, where she retired as branch manager in 1990. For the past 25 years, she has lived in Deerfield Beach, Florida, but Newport has always been home.
Chilabato’s growing family now includes 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren — a living legacy of the life she built from wartime sacrifice to peacetime devotion.
Happy birthday, Sarah!
Newport Mayor Charlie Holder presented the city’s Medal of Honor to longtime resident Sarah Chilabato in recognition of her 100th birthday and a life defined by service, family, and community.
Born September 26, 1925, in Oran, Algeria, then a French colony, Chilabato answered… pic.twitter.com/p7whrtZxUu
— Newport Buzz (@NewportBuzz) September 22, 2025
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