PAZ M. GARCIA
Jan. 24, 1922 - Sep. 9 ,2017
Paz M. Garcia, our Dad, slipped peacefully into his next life Saturday, September 9th. Dad was ninety five years old, but his last two years had been difficult for him because of a bout he had with cancer. He beat the cancer, but the side effects at his age made life very difficult for him.
Dad was born in Calexico in 1922. His parents Juan Camilo and Clara Garcia were both immigrated from the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, near the city of Leon. Both immigrated to the US in 1910, and eventually both became American Citizens.
Dad was preceded in death by both his parents, two older sisters who died at a very young age. He had also lost a sister, Susana (Chana) Cuellar a few years ago, and three brothers, Dolores (Lolo), Camilo (Cami), and Tomas, my Dad’s youngest brother. He is survived by a younger brother, Preciliano ( El Pelon) from Calexico who now becomes the elder member of our Garcia family. Also preceding him in death were our two sisters Rose, and Stella who passed away as babies.
At ninety five years, our Dad may have been the oldest living pioneer that was actually born in Calexico. He lived in Calexico all his life and lived across the street from where he was born. He attended schools in Calexico and graduated from the 8th grade in the 1930’s. It was common in the 1930’s during The Great Depression for kids to leave school at a young age, and my Dad being the eldest in his family left school to help his father support the rest of his family.
Dad went to school with Calexico notables such as the late Pete Pedroza. Pete was a great Calexico historian and he would often tell me they referred to my Dad as “the little bull” because of his toughness when he played football as a running back.
Dad and Mom, just recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. They met each other in school when my Mom and her family moved to Calexico from South Dakota, and Colorado where she was born. They became engaged after they finished school, and were married at the Catholic Church in 1942. They have six surviving children, Robert from Sunnyvale, CA, Mary Helen and David from El Centro, and Johnny, Rudy, and Gary who live in Calexico. Each providing their share of grandchildren, great grandchildren, and a few great- great grandchildren. All their names would fill this page.
Dad was proud of his early days in Calexico. As a child thrown into the labor force he spent his early years as a farm laborer. He broke his leg once as a farm tractor operator. In the ‘50’s and ‘60’s he worked on a construction team laying what we now know as Highway Interstate 8. He retired at the age of sixty two from The City Of Calexico.
His passion after he retired was fishing for that big one in the local canals where he was well known by game wardens and Border Patrolmen who would stop and say hi, and ask how he was doing. He also enjoyed working on his landscaping, where it was a constant effort moving and resetting his pavers and brickwork. Dad taught us the meaning of hard work, and the fruit of having a lasting relationship with his wife, our mother Margarita. Together they formed a bond of beautiful friendship and love which was seldom openly displayed but no one could deny it was there.
We will all miss our Papa, but I am eternally grateful his family was by his side as he slowly ebbed away, and the big smile that lit up his face when he saw Father Jose come to pray over him a few hours before taking his last breath.
Good bye Pops.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. with Rosary at 6:30 p.m. at Hems Brothers Mortuary in Calexico, CA. Mass will be held on Monday, September 18, 2017 at 8 a.m. with Father Miguel Campos officiating at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Calexico, CA. Burial will immediately follow at Mountain View Cemetery in Calexico, CA.