Shirley B. Tavares

3/08/1938 - 8/19/2023

Tavares, Shirley Barbara, 85, of Winter Garden died peacefully in her sleep on August 19, 2023. A devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, our beloved “Situ” was an extremely generous, happy spirit who always put family first. She was born to Adele (Doura) and Nicholas (Nate) Sarkees in Brooklyn, NY, and was baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian church. Led by her strong faith, Shirley was accepting of all and shared her infectious smile, kind words, comedic quips, and heartfelt blessings with everyone she met. She graduated from Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, worked at Chase bank in NYC, and traveled with her lifelong friend Pat Birkbeck to Europe, where they met and befriended a British girl named Audrey who would eventually marry Shirley’s brother.

In 1963, Shirley met her husband Gene Walter Tavares while he was in New York on leave from the Navy and they married in February, 1964. They lived in Brooklyn, NY and Worcester, MA before moving in 1969 to Orlando where they owned and managed a small rental property in downtown, Gene worked on construction crews for Walt Disney World, and their children attended Trinity Lutheran School. Shirley worked hard to provide for her family and was extremely proud of her 25-year career with the phone company where she started as an operator. They built and resided in their Edmee Circle home for 27 years before moving to Winter Garden. Shirley’s husband passed in 2019; they were married 55 years. She remained in their home which she was blessed to share for more than a year with her oldest granddaughter and cherished great-granddaughter.

Situ lived for her family and her greatest joy was spending time with them. She attended every ceremony and performance, bought from every fundraiser, spent countless hours at school events and practices, basketball and volleyball games, FFA events, lacrosse and tennis tournaments, and dance competitions. Situ supported her children and grandchildren wholeheartedly. She was their proudest, most enthusiastic cheerleader and advocate, always there for whatever they needed – a phone call, a ride, a shopping spree, a hug, a pep talk or empathic ear - and they were blessed and thankful to have her share in their everyday lives. Shirley’s endearment of family included her parents and siblings, whom she loved deeply, missed greatly, and spoke of often, sharing their stories and memories.

Shirley is survived by her two children, Gene Thomas (Linda) Tavares and Sharon Ann (Mark) Brandt; four grandchildren, Brooke Burdette and her great-granddaughter Thalia of Oakland, FL, Demi Burdette of Oakland, FL, Megan Tavares of New York, NY, Colin Tavares of Melbourne, FL; her sister Elaine Nunziato of Washington, NJ, and eleven nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and stepfather Spiro Sarkees, husband, great-granddaughter Lorena Adele Burdette, sister Dolores Kaidy, brother George Sarkees, sister-in-law Audrey Sarkees, and brothers-in-law Dimitri Kaidy and Joe Nunziato.

Services will be presided by dear family friend - and Situ’s longtime football pool rival – Rev. Lori Stanley, on Sunday, September 10, at 11:00 am at Baldwin Fairchild Winter Garden, 428 East Plant St., Winter Garden, FL 34787. A reception will follow for friends and family. A private interment will be held on Monday, September 11, at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims, FL.