Retired Garcia

Roberto "Bobby" Garcia passed away on March 14, 2011, in San Antonio after a third battle against cancer at the age of 81.-He was born and raised in Laredo, Texas and was a 1946 graduate of Martin High School.-He entered Texas A&M College at the age of 16 and graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 1950.-A week later, he was employed by the Panamanian presidential candidate of their government, Roberto Chiari.--In 1952 while in Panama, he was called to active duty as a Lieutenant thus beginning his military career in the Army as a nuclear weapons effects officer and chemical engineer. He served at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Aberdeen, Maryland, testing ordnances before heading to Kwang-ju, Korea in 1955.- Roberto served throughout the Far East and Latin American hemisphere, including Bolivia and Columbia.-Upon his return, he received Special Forces Training at Ft. Leavenworth and remained stateside after the death of his younger brother, Heriberto.-He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Korea Defense Service Medal.
Lt. Colonel Garcia retired from Ft. Monroe (ORDVAC), Virginia on May 31, 1974 to care for his parents, Vicente and Sensoria.-He worked for Underwriter's Laboratory and Ammerson Smelter in Laredo.-He served the Laredo community by supporting the Optimist Club and the Texas A & M Alumni Association. He was an active member of Mother Cabrini Catholic Church and more recently St. John Neumann.
Roberto was preceded in death by his brother, Capt. Heriberto A. Garcia, and his parents, Vicente and Paula Sensoria (Gil) Garcia.-
He is survived by his beloved nieces and their spouses , Aline and Bruce Weinheimer of Austin, Alvina "Bini" Danea Johnson of College Station,-Alisa "Lissie" Cecilia and Martin Christensen of Houston, and Analine "Squink" Lisa and Keith Johnson of Laredo. He is also survived by his sister in law, Alicia Moran Picard, his aunts, Gertrudis Garcia Cadena of California and Consuela L. Garcia of Brownsville, Texas.
The family will be receiving condolences at Joe Jackson Springfield Funeral Chapels, 1900 Springfield Ave, on Thursday, March 17, 2011 from 5:00 ""? 9:00 p.m. with an early Rosary at 6 p.m. officiated by Mother Cabrini Parish and a later Rosary at 7 p.m. with Rev. Deacon Gerardo Morales, presiding.
Funeral Services will take place on Friday, March 18, 2011 departing at 8:30 a.m. from the chapel to St. John Neumann Catholic Church, for a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m.-Father Bill Davis will celebrate.-
Roberto will be interred beside his parents in Calvary Catholic Cemetery.-Full military honors will be conducted by Fort Sam Houston Casualty Detail and the American Legion Post 59.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory can be directed to the Roberto V. Garcia Memorial-Scholarship fund at the Texas Community Bank, P.O. Box 450269; 6721 McPherson Rd., Laredo, Texas 78041 in care of Avery Johnson.
His nieces would like to thank Anna Cecilia Loredo and her husband, Carlos, for his constant care in San Antonio, Amedisys Hospice Services, James Braddy, RN, Victor Ihesiaba, Chaplain, Rev. Dr. James E. Schellenberg, and the medical staff at Brooke Army Medical Center.