Santa Paula
Jesus (“Jess”) R. Garcia, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and quiet patriot, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 24th at the age of 86. Jess is the bedrock of his family, and was an example of uncompromising honor, hard work and mischievous, endearing wit throughout his lifetime.
Jess was born in Teocaltiche, Jalisco, Mexico in 1924, and immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of five months, living in Texas and Arizona before settling in Santa Paula, California. Jess worked as a farm laborer in Santa Paula, San Jose and Pleasanton during his teen years before joining the Army in April 1943.
Jess served with the 90th Infantry Division in the Normandy Campaign, Northern France Campaign and German Campaign during World War II, was on Normandy Beach on D-day, and was awarded a European African Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon, a Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Three Bronze Service Stars, and a Purple Heart with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, in recognition of his service and bravery. After the war Jess returned to Santa Paula, where he met and married his beloved Margaret in 1945. In 1953, Jess was naturalized as a United States citizen.
In his unassuming way, Jess nurtured those around him. We will remember him tending to his impeccably clean cars and manicured yard, honoring his fellow veterans as a member of the VFW honor guard, rooting for the Dodgers, driving his ‘55 T-Bird in Main Street parades, working in orchards in San Jose and Pleasanton, pumping gas at the UNOCAL station in his retirement years, and working at the Santa Paula Drive-In Theatre and Family Pizza Parlor, as well as driving a refuse truck for the City of Santa Paula, all after years of service at United Concrete Pipe in Saticoy. If you were fortunate enough to share an inside joke with Jess, you know the great blessing of what lay inside his twinkling eyes.
Jess is survived by his wife of 65 years, Margaret; daughter Sylvia Castro; son-in-law Fred Castro, granddaughter Karin Castro; granddog Paha; sisters, Carmen Peterson of Pleasanton, California and Frances Tabor of Soap Lake, Washington; and dozens of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Jess is preceded in death by his parents, Geronimo and Narcisa Garcia, and siblings, Anthony Garcia, Erma Leon, Emilio Garcia, Paul Garcia and Lupe Garcia.
Funeral services honoring the life of Mr. Jess Garcia will begin with a rosary led by Father Thomas J. Dome C.R.I.C. on Friday, October 29, 2010 at 10:30 a.m., followed with the Mass of Christian Burial, which will be celebrated at 11 a.m. at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 235 N. 9th St., Santa Paula, with Father Pasquale Vuoso, C.R.I.C. officiating.
Committal and interment will follow at Pierce Brothers Santa Paula Cemetery. Providing military honors will be the Mercer-Prieto VFW Post 2043 and Korean War Veterans Chapter 56. For map and directions to ceremony locations and to sign the family’s online guestbook, please visit www.mysantapaulafuneralhome.com.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Family Owned & Operated Robert Rey Garcia Jr. Funeral Services, 805.229.7054.
