Waterbury-Joao A. Tavares, 87 of 49 Westwood Ave passed away on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at Waterbury Hospital with his loving family by his side. He was the husband of Aurea DeJesus Lopes Tavares. Mr. Tavares was born on June 25, 1922 in Mortosa, Portugal a son of the late Joao Galante Tavares and Imilia Cunha Santos. He retired from Uniroyal Chemical after 35 years. He was a merchant marine in Portugal. He was a communicant of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Waterbury and a member of the Portugese Club in Naugatuck. He enjoyed fishing and was a big help with raising money for Our Lady of Fatima Building Fund. Besides his wife of Waterbury he is survived by two sisters, Isabell Bernardo of FL and Carmelinda Braz of Naugatuck and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Jose Santos. The funeral will be held on Saturday, March 6, 2010 at 9:15 a.m. from the Buckmiller Brothers Funeral Home, 82 Farview Ave, Naugatuck to Our Lady of Fatima Church, 2071 Baldwin St, Waterbury for a mass at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in St. James Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to either, Harold Leever Cancer Center, 1075 Chase Parway, Waterbury, CT 06708 or Our Lady of Fatima Building Fund, 2071 Baldwin Street, Waterbury, CT 06706. For more information and online condolences please logon to: www.buckmillerbrothers.com