Valerie G. Dingee, 52, led fire auxiliary

Valerie Goodrow Dingee, a former president of the Ridgefield Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and a 27-year resident of Ridgefield, died Monday, Nov. 20, in Danbury Hospital after a struggle with cancer. She was 52, the wife of former Ridgefield Fire Department Assistant Chief Richard Dingee Sr., and had lived in Port Charlotte, Fla., the last four years.
“She was just wonderful, everybody loved her,” said her daughter, Gretchen Lombardi of Danbury. “She was very giving. She would have given anything to anyone — very charitable, she never had a mean thing to say about anyone.”
Mrs. Dingee was born Sept. 16, 1948, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willis A. Goodrow of Somers, N.Y. She grew up in Somers, graduated from Somers High School, and graduated from Western Connecticut State University with a teaching degree.
She married in 1969, and moved to Ridgefield. She lived at 135 Barry Avenue, and raised two children in town.
Mrs. Dingee was regional director of broker services of the Southeast Region for Cendant Mobility Services, a relocation firm. She worked with the company for 17 years, first out of its Danbury office and later in Florida.
She was chairperson of the Relocation Directors Advisory Council.
Earlier, she taught at Holy Innocents, a Catholic elementary school that operated in town in the 1970s.
She was a member of St. Mary’s Church in Ridgefield, taught religious education there, and was involved in the church fair every September.
In Florida she was involved with the Junior Achievement Program of Charlotte County, and sought to brighten the lives of friends and neighbors.
“In Florida, they always entertained, especially seniors who had no family,” Ms. Lombardi said of her parents. “She was very giving. She was a leader, she was always organizing things.”
She enjoyed travel, reading, swimming, boating, walking and the beach.
Survivors include her husband, Richard Dingee Sr. of Port Charlotte, Fla., her daughter Gretchen Lombardi of Danbury, son Richard Dingee Jr. of Ridgefield, and four grandchildren — Kyle Kammer and Cody Dingee of Ridgefield, and William and Brittany Lombardi of Danbury. She is also survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Willis A. Goodrow of Somers N.Y., a sister, Beverly Rosa of Danbury, a brother, John Goodrow of Mahopac, N.Y., and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the Kane Funeral Home of Catoonah Street on Friday, Nov. 24, from 5 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday morning, Nov. 25, at 11:30 in St. Mary’s Church on Catoonah Street.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte County., Fla. P.O. Box 6028 Port Charlotte, FL 33949, or to the Ridgefield Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, P.O. Box 243, Ridgefield 06877.