Manuel Tavares Amaral (known by all as Manny) was born on December 29, 1940, and passed away on May 11, 2022. Manny was born and raised in Sao Miguel, Azores until he was 12 years old, and then he moved with his family to New Bedford, MA. He had five brothers and sisters, Gloria, Jose, Maria, Natalie, and Eduardo. He is predeceased by his parents, Antonio and Maria Medeiros Amaral, as well as his siblings Gloria Rodrigues, Natalie McDermott, and Jose Amaral.
He joined the United States Army in 1962 and served in the Vietnam War. He received an Army Commendation medal for Meritorious Service.
He met his wife Jo-Ann in 1964, and they married in 1966. His first daughter, Kimberly, was born in 1969, followed by his second child, Jennifer, in 1973. He has two grandchildren, Jacob, born in 2001, and Jordan, born in 2005.
He moved his family to Port Orange, Florida, in 1979, where he purchased his first Dunkin' Donuts franchise. In 1982, he bought his second Dunkin Donut franchise in Cocoa Beach, FL. He retired when he was 60, and he began to enjoy some new hobbies and adventures. He played tennis in several leagues, bowled on several teams, and enjoyed playing poker. He bungee jumped when he turned 50 and went parasailing several times with his daughter, Kim. He took a ride, got to co-pilot a fighter jet plane, and went skydiving several times, his last with his grandson, Jacob.
He was known for his quick wit, infectious sense of humor, and corny jokes. He loved to tell his corny jokes to his granddaughter, Jordan, who was always there to share a laugh. He loved music and dancing and was a fan of the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins. He loved old cars and shared this with his son-in-law, Jimmy Spin.
He had such a love and devotion to his family and friends. He was always there to lend a helping hand whenever anyone was in need.
His love for new adventures led us to send him on this Celestis Space Flight as his final adventure.
