Inalda "Pini" Saporito

Inalda “Pini” Saporito, of Elkhart formerly of Cottonwood, AZ. Passed away on Friday, October 3, 2025 at Brentwood at Elkhart Assisted Living. She was born May 25 1932 in Recife, Brazil, the only child of João Aprígio Pereira and Celina Amália de Brito Pereira. After High School, she completed a Secretarial Course at Mackenzie College in São Paulo. Afterwords she attended Colégio de Santa Inês in São Paulo where she obtained a Degree in Higher Education Teacher. After teaching School for 3 years she moved to Rio de Janeiro where she worked at Sears Roebuck, at the Office of Human Resources; at General Electric as an Executive Secretary; and at J. Walter Thompson Advertising as an Administrative Assistant. 

She met Francis “Frank” Saporito, an U.S. State Dept. Foreign Service Reserve Officer, who was on assignment in Brazil. They married in Rio de Janeiro in 1963 followed by his assignments in Kampala, Uganda for 5 years, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for 3 years, Washington, DC for 6 years and Brasília, Brazil for 5 years. After his retirement they stayed in Brazil, where she worked at the American Embassy in Brasília, as Administrative Assistant to the Agricultural Counselor (USDA) for 12 years. After retirement in 1993, they made their home in Cottonwood, Arizona.

She attended Yavapai College as an art student to revive her art skills at ceramics, painting and batik. She received several awards for her artwork. She volunteered for several years as a Parenting Counselor at the House of Ruth's Pregnancy Care Center in Cottonwood.

She was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Columbus, Verde Valley Artists Assn. and Verde Valley Clay Club. Her interests were travelling, sewing, painting, pottery, and people. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, gardening and most of all loved to be with her family.

She is survived by her son Vincent Saporito (Kathleen) of Sacramento, CA; her daughter Celina Saporito Tyler (Todd) of Elkhart, IN; step-son Dr. Marc Heyning (Lyndell) of Australia; 2 grandsons David and Tanner ( Ashley) Saporito, 2 granddaughters Ashleigh and Abigail Tyler, 2 great-grandsons, Matthew and Owen Saporito and 3 step-grandsons Peter, Jarred and Aaron Heyning. Pini was preceded in death by her beloved husband Frank Saporito.

Visitation will be held from 11am- 12pm on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart, IN 46514 where a memorial service will be held at 12pm. Fr. Bob VanKempen will officiate. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 700 N. Bill Gray Road, Cottonwood, AZ 86326 (time and date to be determined in mid-November) Online condolences may be made to her family at www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com