Tara John Garabiles Navarro

Tara John Garabiles Navarro, age 49, of Bear, DE, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 1, 2023. His family was able to spend time with him prior to his passing, with his relatives in Virginia and the Philippines being present on video call. Born in Caloocan City, Philippines on December 18, 1973, Tara was a son of Edilberto and Trinidad (Garabiles) Navarro. He was the third eldest of five children. Tara, along with some of his family, moved to the United States in 1991. He attended Bohemia Manor High School, William Penn High School, and completed his bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Wilmington University. Prior to his passing, Tara worked as a data analyst for Marlex Pharmaceuticals. He fell in love with his wife, Mary Joy Acla Julitan-Navarro, in 1997. The two shared a civil wedding in Elkton, MD on April 5, 1999, and were joined in Holy Matrimony in Iloilo City, Philippines on December 16, 2000. Their daughters, Gabrielle and Lauren Julitan Navarro, were born in 2001 and 2006. Tara had always had a love for basketball, football (particularly the Eagles!), and finding new places to eat, just to attempt to cook the dishes himself afterwards. He was a skilled cook, his Filipino spaghetti earning the title of “Best Entree” in a family competition in 2018. Tara and his family were lucky to live near many of his aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. They frequently got together and shared countless laughs and joyful memories through celebrations, holidays, and clamming trips. He is remembered as one to always be joking around, making people laugh, and dropping to his knees in front of his wife, Joy, in many karaoke performances of “Just Once.” Tara was preceded in death by Simeon Lagmay, Aquilina Lagmay, Nicolas Garabiles, Flaviana Garabiles, Jose Garabiles, Cipriano Garabiles, Cornelio Navarro, Remedios Navarro, and Armando Rigor. He is survived by his parents, Edilberto and Trinidad Navarro; his wife, Mary Joy Julitan-Navarro; his children, Gabrielle and Lauren Navarro; his siblings, Toynbee Navarro, Terence Navarro, Edna Navarro-Perry, and Tristan Navarro; and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 10 am until 11 am on Monday, January 9, 2023, at Our Lady of Fatima R.C. Church, 801 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 am. Interment will be held privately.

Tara John Garabiles Navarro

December 18, 1973 - January 1, 2023