Arturo M Garcia

My dad was the most loving and caring father. He taught us to respect each other and others. He was so proud of each one of his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He’d say how all their hard work, that is his and my mom’s, was worth it because we did not end up cholos, in drugs or in jail. That was so important to him. I believe I can speak for all of my siblings when I say that we all knew that no matter the circumstances, if we needed to come back home, my dad welcomed us back with open arms. His home was always open to us all to return, no questions asked, and that invitation was extended to the grandchildren.

My dad was an immigrant born in Bragedis G. Guerrero, Chihuahua, Mexico. He was the youngest of the boys and 3rd of 7 children in total. There were 3 boys, 2 sisters and 2 deceased sisters. He was the son of Julia and Ramon Garcia. Like many immigrants he came to this country to give his children an opportunity at a better life.

My mom and dad met in Mexico, when my mom was 16 years old, and my dad was 18 years old. They dated for almost 9 years before getting married by court on 09/04/1963 and by church on 09/29/1963. They would have had their 60-year wedding anniversary this September. They had a fairytale love story, the kind you don’t hear of anymore. When my mom introduced my dad to her family, her siblings already knew my dad from when he worked at the fair. My dad was 7 years old when he started working. My mom’s siblings would take my dad food in exchange for him letting them get on the rides for free. We are told my mom’s siblings would take my grandfather’s food that my grandmother had set aside for him to my dad. My mom was raised with her grandmother, instead of her parents which is why her siblings knew my dad from such a young age. My mom’s siblings knew my dad as “El Tury”, which is a nickname for Arturo. To my mom’s siblings my dad was more than a brother-in-law, he was “their brother”. We could only hope and dream to experience that kind of true and fairytale love. I know I’ve held my husband to those standards of wanting the fairytale love with the happily ever after.

My dad worked for Aero Engines for about 27 years as a Piston Inspector, inspecting the small airplane motor parts. He worked about 3 blocks from where we lived and yet he would leave an hour early to work. I remember when we were kids, my dad bringing donuts from work every day. We waited impatiently by the door to be the first to get the bag with donuts. I can still smell the fumes from his job on the donuts.

We have so many memories of my mom and dad dancing so in love during the holidays and parties. Them hugging while sitting on the sofa watching tv. They showed their affection to one another and to us for as long as I can remember. Memories of them while cooking or just cleaning and the music playing in the background, they’d just start dancing. I have memories as a child of him with my tia Teresa, my mom’s aunt, rest in peace, on a Friday or Saturday night listening to music and dancing. However, once my mom got tired of dancing, my dad would tell us kids, “ok who wants a quarter”, so we could dance with him and my aunt. Eventually we got to a dollar. I remember stepping on his feet to reach up to dance with him. That’s where we all get our love for music and dancing from.

As a kid, I remember us going to Elysian Park almost every weekend and having bbq’s and playing all day at the park with my siblings. There was always lots of food and fun family time with my siblings and parents. Then there was a period where we’d go to Shakey’s Pizza almost every weekend. These were my dad’s way of us having our family time. Once again, it was so important to my dad that we spent time as a family. It was those little moments of a day at the park or going to Shakey’s that mattered the most to him because we were making memories as a family and by the time of going to Shakey’s the grandchildren were already born and now he was making memories with the grandchildren too.

I’ve been hearing the various stories and memories from my siblings these past few weeks as we grieve the loss of our father. Like my sister, Lucy coming out with a market plastic bag to collect the paper goods after eating dinner. She’d say, well this is what dad would have wanted us to do put the trash in this plastic bag. My sister, Ana remember how when we were kids one weekend he said ok it’s masking tape day and next thing we knew he had fixed chairs and holes in the wall literally with masking tape. My brother, Danny telling my sister, Ana how when he washes his car he also washes his wife, Susana’s car because my dad would say if you’re going to wash one car then you might as well wash all the cars and that’s what he tells his son, Joseph now. He’d help with the dishes after dinner, but not the pots. His granddaughter, Laura would just have to say, “abuelito guapo” and sneak her plate and glass in the sink for him to also wash. My brother, Oscar remembering yelling out to my dad “maestro” as he called him because my dad was hard of hearing. Even when he did get his hearing aids, we still had to speak loud to him.

My dad was so protective of my mom. He’d cook on the weekends so she could sleep in and rest after taking care of us 7 children and cooking all week. The hard and heavy labor of cleaning the restrooms, taking out the trash, sweeping and mopping was left to the boys. He again was protective of my mom and us girls. He’d say that’s what the boys and him were there for to do the hard labor. He was the least selfish person even til the end. Always thinking about my mom and his children first.

My dad wasn’t perfect by any means. But he was a provider to his family. During his years when he did drink, before buying his beer he would give his paycheck to my mom. If there was only enough money left over for a cawama (a 40 ounce beer) then that’s what it was for the weekend. He was very responsible in making sure we were provided for first, and bills were paid. I always tell my boys we weren’t rich growing up, yet we had everything we needed. There was never a time we didn’t have clothing, food or where to live. Most importantly, we had each other and the love and care from my parents.

My mom for the most part was the one who would discipline us the kids. However, if we didn’t listen to her and she had to get my dad involved we knew we were in trouble. They did not hit us, but they put the fear of the unknown in us. If my dad had to get involved to discipline us, then that meant a drive up to Elysian Park to have “the Talk”, which to us at the time was worse punishment. Of course, unless you were taken up there we had no idea what that trip to Elysian Park meant. So, you behaved to avoid finding out. No idea why those who did take the ride to Elysian Park never said anything to the rest of us. It was years later, as teenagers or older when we started sharing the stories that we realized what actually happened up there.

All his children played a special role in his life. My oldest brother, Ricardo was the one he talked to about the cleaning and organizing of the house, Oscar was the one he trusted regarding his doctor appointments, Ana was the one to go to with all the medical questions as to the medication or medical treatments and procedures, Hector was his hair stylist, he’d cut his hair to make him look guapo, Lucy was his caretaker, he trusted her with his life and whom he was most comfortable with, I somehow being his baby girl, was the one who got him to do the things they couldn’t get him to do, such as taking a medication or exercising or physical therapy ( I was told he only listened to me) and Danny, the youngest of all of us, was the one who provided masks and supplies to keep our parents safe from Covid. Because of that my dad was the only one who never got sick with Covid. Lastly, but definitely not least, is my sister-in-law, Teresa, who my dad saw as a daughter, she went above and beyond to figure out what he could eat and how to cook the special meals my dad could eat due to his medical restrictions.

Once the grandchildren came along it was all about his grandchildren. When the great grandchildren came along, well he was in heaven in love with them. My dad felt blessed to get the privilege of seeing his great grandchildren be born. He loved all his grandchildren with all his heart.

My dad had a toy car collection. That we all helped grow throughout the years. It started with cars and soon enough we added airplanes and trains. His grandson, Samuel gave him his last train set this Father’s Day, which is the one you see displayed by the guest book. Whether it was from traveling or that we went to visit somewhere, all his children and grandchildren would bring him back a carrito to add to his collection. He loved them too and really appreciated it. No one could touch his toy car collection, except the grandchildren. He’d sit there with them and play carritos. He was the best loving grampis. Once the grandchildren came along, he no longer responded to dad only “grampus”. He was born for that role. We couldn’t ask for a better grandpa for our children and for the great grandchildren. His face lit up when the grandchildren arrived. That was his motivation and someone to live for. He had nicknames for all the great grandchildren. Levi short for Leviticus was Pantalon, Leia was Chillona #2 (because Stephanie his granddaughter was the first Chillona), Sylas was Cilantro and Mason was Masoncito. His love for all his grandchildren and great grandchildren was unconditional.

My dad lived a wonderful life. We were blessed to have him for 84 years. He was independent til the end. He lived a very fulfilling life. He retired at the age of 61 in July of 2000. He was blessed to enjoy 23 years of retirement in which he enjoyed what he loved the most, his family, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Family was the most important thing to my dad. His world was all about my mom, his children, grandchildren, and then great grandchildren, whom he loved so much.

On his last Father’s Day, he got to see my son, Steven’s college graduation as it streamed live. I will forever cherish that video my sister, Ana sent me of everyone my parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews sitting in the living room at my mom’s home waiting for Steven’s name to be announced. Once it was announced my dad told my sister, Lucy, he was tired and wanted to go lie down. He was so proud of his grandchildren. I know he most likely wasn’t feeling well yet he wasn’t going to miss his grandson’s college graduation.

He will be greatly missed. Our family will never be the same. Our family gatherings, birthdays and holidays will never be the same without him. But we know he’s with our brother, Jorge Luis, who passed away when he was 4 months old, with his parents and siblings and with our niece Kaika, Angelica, who passed away too soon. We know he’s happy to see all of them again as they are to have him. It’s our brother, Jorge Luis’ turn to enjoy our dad and for Kaika to enjoy her grampis.

He is survived by my mom, Gloria, his seven children, Ricardo, Oscar, Ana, Hector, Lucy, Danny and myself, Veronica, his son and daughter in laws, Teresa, Lee, Debbie, Steve and Susana and 14 grandchildren, Artie, Felicia, Jonathan, Jessica, Ricky and his wife, Vicky, Jorge and his wife, Courtney, Stephanie and her husband, Armando, Julia, Laura, Joseph, Steven, Samuel and Julian and 4 great grandchildren, Levi, Leia, Sylas and Mason. His sister, my aunt Estela and her husband, Hector and our cousin Melinda’s daughter, who he referred to as his granddaughters, Jade and Frannie.

Lastly, we learned from my dad to love unconditionally. And most importantly, that family is first. His last words to us were to take care of our mom and to stay united as a family.

Grampis lo queremos muchisimo y lo vamos a extranar mucho. Gracias por todo lo que hizo por todos nosotros. Pero mas que nada gracias por su amor incondicional. Nos consuela saber que algun dia nos volvermos a reunir con usted. Lo amamos mucho y estara por siempre en nuestros corazones.