The Honorable Carlos R. Garza, born November 4, 1931, in Edinburg, Texas, passed away January 1, 2020, Round Rock, Texas at the age of 88. He goes home to Heaven leaving behind a wealth of family and a dynamic legacy of accomplishments.
Judge Garza was born in a small town in south Texas to Jose and Tomasa Garza, a proud but humble household. He was taught the values of hard honest work and dedication to craft. He worked in many capacities in his youth, a butcher in his uncle’s slaughter house, a farmer raising hogs and a field hand picking crops to name a few. After high school he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1951 and remained until 1954. He served in the 847th AC&W Squadron, Korean Corridor, as an Airman First-Class Radar Operator II, earning decorations including Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal. During his tour of duty, he developed an unrelenting drive to succeed in whatever efforts he applied himself. After leaving the military, he carried that drive to pursue higher education, the first in his family to do so. His fervent commitment to self-development drove him to earn his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas at Austin. His subsequent law career included distinguished positions as Assistant District Counsel, US, Army Corp of Engineers, District of Galveston, Texas; Assistant Legal Counsel, NASA, Lyndon B Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas; Chief Legal Counsel, NASA, Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards Airforce Base, California, Counsel for the Apollo 15 Mission; Federal Administrative Court Judge Board of Contract Appeals, US Energy Research and Development Administration, Washington DC, May 1976; and finally, appointed to the Board of Directors of the State Justice Institute by George H. Bush, United States 41st President, April 10, 1992 servicing as an intermediary between state and federal court judges. He retired August 15, 2001.
Judge Garza is survived by his loving wife Marlena of 62 years; his four daughters: Marla and her husband Edward of Leander, Texas; Monica and her husband Virgil of Pflugerville, Texas; Katy and her husband Daniel of Moorhead, Minnesota; Laura and her husband Thomas of Salem, Virginia; and his son Jose and his wife Tania of Cooper City, Florida; and their respective families that include 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
He is remembered as a loving, kind, generous, strong man with a faith in God greater than his faith in himself. And for this reason, he begins his new residence among those who have preceded him in the heavenly realm and walks in peace with Jesus Christ our Lord. He is free. And we are excited for his new life in paradise.
A Celebration of Life will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2020 at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660. Pastor PJ Condit from Community Christian Church will be officiating with Military Honors being afforded by Active Duty United States Air Force. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:00 a.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home.
Please visit www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com where you may leave condolences and share memories with Carlos’ family.
