Arthur S. Garcia

GARCIA, ARTHUR SOUZA of Point Loma passed away March 19, 2012. Born in 1921 in Taunton, Massachusetts he settled in San Diego in 1941. After WWII he returned to Taunton to marry his childhood friend, Hazel Dupont and brought her to San Diego, where they built their first home. He supported his family and funded his college education as a navigator for the tuna fishing fleet. Art graduated from San Diego State and was for many years employed at Ryan Teledyne as a metallurgist. He helped develop the sheathing for the Viking Orbiter to Mars. For his efforts, his name is listed on a plaque of the spacecraft that landed successfully on the Red Planet. After his retirement Art volunteered at the San Diego Air & Space Museum and spent many years traveling the globe with Hazel. He lost his wife in 1997. For the past few years he has enjoyed the company of his three sons and their wives. He is survived by his three sons Michael, David and Joel Garcia and six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be held on March 27 at 12:30 p.m. at St. Agnes Church with interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Air & Space Museum.