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In memory of

Claire Marie Tavares

Fort Bragg, CA

1933 - February 26, 2021

1933 - Feb 26, 2021

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Claire Marie Tavares died peacefully on February 26, at home surrounded by her loving family.
Claire was born in San Jose, CA in 1933 to Louis and Magdalene Toupal. She was educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame De Namur from elementary school through graduation with a Bachelor Degree in Biology from Notre Dame College in 1955 in Belmont, CA. Claire held the proud distinction of being the first woman to graduate from Notre Dame with a science degree. Further education led to work as a medical lab technologist for Palo Alto Medical Clinic serving Stanford University and surrounding cities. Her first recreational passion was knapsacking (backpacking) with the Sierra Club in which she was an early member, helping to organize and lead trips into the high Sierra Nevada Mountains, and where she was to meet her future husband, Dennis Tavares. They were married in 1962 just before Dennis’ graduation from the University of California School of Forest Management at Berkeley. They made their home in the Inglenook area, north of Fort Bragg, CA, working for Union Lumber Company’s new forestry department. Claire was a member of the Fort Bragg Community Concert, was president of the Genealogical Society, a docent at the Fort Bragg Botanical Garden and leader of the Seed Group, served on the cemetery board for Inglenook and Westport, and was a faithful member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church since 1962.
Claire was preceded in death by her parents and by her baby son, Marc Tavares. She is survived by her loving husband, Dennis, her children: Julianne Flynn (Rob), Matthew Tavares (Terri), and Kathleen Kasperson (Jerry), her grandchildren: Meghan, Marc, MaryElizabeth, Micaela, Nicholas, Joanclaire, Elise, Bernadette, Kathleen, Merci, and six great-grandchildren: Evelyn, Ava, Alex, Max, Tristan, and Olivia.
A Rosary will be recited Sunday, March 7 at 5:00pm, followed by a Funeral Mass on Monday, March 8 at 11:30am. Viewing begins at 10:00am. Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 255 South Harold Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437. Internment at Inglenook Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to San Jose Sanchez Del Rio Catholic School at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church. For online donations, click the donate link here: http://www.olgcinfb.org/ and choose the SJSDR school.

In Memoriam by Dennis Tavares

My lovely Claire has flown away
Beyond the farthest stars above.
Now I must stay and daily pray
Be sheltered in her steadfast love.

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