Maria Libelia Tavares, 86, of Fall River, widow of Armando Tavares, passed away peacefully on Monday after a long illness. Born in St. Michael, Azores, she was the daughter of the late Antonio Medeiros and Maime Elizabeth (Dooley) Diogo. Maria enjoyed crocheting, cooking, and going fishing. She also had a knack for baking, especially for her famous massa and biscoitos. She loved to prepare her chicken and roast beef meal for her family every Sunday and having them all together under one roof.  Maria leaves her eight children: Armanda Haynes (late husband-Douglas) and Elisa Arruda and her husband Victor of Tampa, Florida, Margarida Nelson of Kittery, Maine, Libelia Cormier of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Sandra Boore of Connecticut, Eduardo Tavares and his wife Beatrice of Fort Myers, Florida, Paul Tavares and his wife Lori and James Tavares of Tiverton, Rhode Island; twenty-seven grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; two sisters: Gilda Cabral and Elvina Arruda; and many nieces and nephews. She was also the mother of the late Antone, Leonardo, Arnold, and Armando Tavares and sister of the late Ralph Diogo, Jaime Diogo, Maria Pavao, Matilde Miranda, Emiliana Carvahlo, Leonor Rego and Odelia DeCosta. Her Funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, July 29th, in Espirito Santo Church followed by her committal at St. Patrick Cemetery.