…formerly of Tewksbury and Dracut; 73
MERRIMACK, NH - Mrs. Maria Fatima (Tavares) Garcia, age 73, died peacefully with her children at her bedside, Monday night, February 25, at the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, after a long courageous battle with several health issues.
Maria was born in St. Miguel, Azores, Portugal, January 6, 1946, one of three children of the late Mario and Adrianna (Piques) Tavares, and emigrated to the U.S. at age thirteen. Her family settled in Cambridge and then Somerville. Her adult years were spent in Tewksbury, where she raised her children, and later Dracut. She moved to Merrimack three years ago.
She was retired from the custodial staff of the Town of Bedford, Mass., School Department. While residing in Tewksbury, she was a communicant of St. William’s Church. She was proud of her Portuguese heritage, and will be remembered for her considerable culinary skills.
She leaves two children, Michael A. Garcia of Dracut and Deborah M. Garcia-Henry and her husband Paul Lagasse of Merrimack, NH, with whom she had resided for the past three years; five adored grandchildren, Sabrina, Brian, Ayden, Haley, and Ashley; a cherished great grandson, Robert; two brothers, Joseph Tavares and his wife Fatima (Diaz), and Antonio “Tony” Tavares and his wife Virginia (Mota) all of Tewksbury, and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial visiting hours Sunday, March 3, from 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of Dewey and Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Monday, March 4, at 10:00 a.m. in St. William's Church, 1351 Main St. (Rte. 38) Tewksbury, followed by burial in Tewksbury Cemetery. Visit: tewksburyfuneralhome.com