Florence Bridget Taggares was born on July 27, 1929 and died peacefully in her home on October 15, 2022 at the age of 93. She was born in Prosser to Peter John Taggares the 1st, an immigrant of Greece, and Mary Kuklinski Taggares.
A beloved sister, aunt and friend, Florence grew up on the family homestead in Prosser and was the second child of four. Florence was an integral part of the family farm and was her father’s right arm. As a teen instead of socializing with her peers after school, she was her father’s bookkeeper and helped translate her father’s broken English during business interactions. Florence continued her involvement in the Prosser farm until her passing.
Florence never married so this opened the door for her to spend time with her many nieces and nephews spoiling them every chance she had.
She had a love of travel which led her to ten countries and the Holy Land. Her travels started when she and her parents went to Greece to visit family. She told of the time she and parents took a ship to Europe and among her fellow passengers were President Dwight Eisenhower and his wife Mamie. Florence spent extended amounts of time in Greece with a friend, and on one occasion she was asked to have drinks with Aristotle Onassis, who was a Greek shipping magnate and was one of the richest and most famous men. On another occasion in Greece she was invited to meet the Queen of Greece, Frederica Hanover, during an Yves Saint Laurent fashion show. Florence said she was more excited to meet Yves Saint Laurent and his models than the queen, as she loved fashion, glamor and fabrics more than anything. Florence always admired beautiful clothing, fabrics and loved to SHOP until the very end.
Florence didn’t spend much time away from the farm, but if she did, the other location she could be found in was Sun Valley Idaho. There, she spent time with her many friends eating in fine restaurants, shopping, ice skating skiing and more.
Our hearts will forever remember Florence as a farmgirl, a traveler, an ice skater and a shopper.
Florence is preceded in death by her father, mother, sister, Virginia and her brother, Pete Taggares II.
She is survived by her brother, Stanley Taggares and his wife Delores of Cabo San Lucas Mexico; nephew, Pete Taggares III and his wife, Sandy and their children, Pete IV and Jessica; niece, Kathleen Taggares Gorog and her husband, Chris Gorog; nephew, Michael Taggares and his wife, Kristine and their children, Walker and Kennedy; niece, Connie Taggares Gustafson and her husband, Greg and her daughter, Ashley; Niece, Shelley Taggares Boyle and her husband, Tom and their children, Kathryn, Joe and Michael and Stanley Taggares Jr.; and her loving caregivers and longtime employees.
A graveside service will be held Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 11 am at the Prosser Cemetery and a celebration of life immediately following at Tagaris Winery, 844 Tulip Lane, Richland, Washington. You may leave a message for the family at www.Prosserfuneralhome.com