Salvador G. Garcia

Salvador G. Garcia, 89, a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, and neighbor, passed away peacefully to join our Lord, Jesus Christ on October 25, 2025. He was a lifelong parishioner of our Lady of the Light Church in El Paso, Texas.

A resident of El Paso, Salvador was known to many as “Sal” or “Chava” and was born to Luis Guerra Garcia and Herminia Garcia on March 25, 1936. Born into a large family of ten brothers and sisters, Salvador learned early on the importance of family and hard work, especially working in their family restaurants. This was when he developed a passion for cooking after watching his father in the kitchen.

Salvador grew up in El Segundo Barrio, a neighborhood in downtown El Paso, walking distance to Bowie High School and the famous Bowie Bakery. When he wasn’t going to school or to football practice, he was making his way at 17 years old to wash trucks and work as a billing clerk/typist at Whitfield Transportation. He advanced to Operations/Office Manager and was employed there for 27 years. Thereafter, he went on to work at Sundance Transportation, System 99, and Sun Freightways where he retired as a Terminal Manager in 1997. He was an active member of Teamster Local Union 745.

When not working, he was sure to make it to football practice, a sport he loved to play as the Bowie Bears quarterback where he had the opportunity to be part of the 1953 2AAAA District Football Championship team, a journey highlighted in the book, “Champion of the Barrio.” He lettered in track and was later a sought-after softball pitcher in city league play.

Right after graduating from Bowie High School in 1955, he started a beautiful life with Delia Ramirez with whom he would have four children. While working and raising a family, Salvador also served as a proud member of the Texas National Guard from 1953-1960 at Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas.

He also supported his children by getting involved in school organizations and served as PTSA President at Bowie High School, Vice President of the Bowie Booster Club, and Jefferson High School Football Booster Club for his sons and when his daughters were in high school, he was active with the Jefferson Band Booster Club.

Education being very important to him and his wife Delia, they worked hard to support son Salvador Garcia Jr., a graduate of Texas Tech University, son Raymond Garcia, a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, and daughters Margie Garcia and Belinda Garcia-Rattenbury, both graduates of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Salvador was immensely proud of his children.

Throughout his life, Chava played golf, a sport he enjoyed with his brothers, sons, grandchildren, and friends. He was part of a senior golfing group that met at the Ascarate Park Golf Course. Up until 2024, he was also still meeting his high school football buddies at a local restaurant to reminisce their high school football playing years.

With his wife Delia, he enjoyed dancing, going to casinos at the Tigua Indian Reservation, Sunland Park, Inn of the Mountain Gods and Albuquerque, NM casinos. He enjoyed fishing, camping, was handy with the paint brush, electric drill, the glue gun, carpentry, yard tools, and enjoyed crafts. He was a great neighbor always available to assist with projects, landscaping, and Christmas light installation. He was especially proud of traveling to Rome with his sister Angelina and going on an Alaskan cruise with a special friend and companion. Salvador lived a life full of love and laughter with humor always being at the center of everything he did.

Later, his children would lead him to San Antonio where he made San Antonio his home away from home.

Salvador is preceded in death by his beautiful and dedicated wife Delia R. Garcia for whom he was married to for 54 years until she passed on December 27, 2009. He is survived by sons Salvador Garcia Jr. (Mary) and Raymond R. Garcia (Patsy), and daughters Margie Garcia and Belinda Garcia-Rattenbury who all reside in San Antonio, Texas. Grandchildren Armando Garcia, Salvador S. Garcia, Valerie Rodriguez, Raymond Garcia Jr., Corine Elizabeth Garcia, Lauren Elizabeth Valadez, John Rocco Valadez, Eric Vincent Valadez, Dakota Braelyn Rattenbury, and Aidan Connor Rattenbury. Step-grandchildren Lotus Quintanilla and Jasmine Martin, great-grandchildren, Aaron Scott Garcia, Indali Asha Garcia, Saavan Zayn Garcia, Abel Jorge Rodriguez, and step-grandchild Sloan Quintanilla. Loved by brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in law, nieces, nephews, and a companion of 10 years, Chaga Villanueva.

A visitation will be held on November 8, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM. A prayer service will be also on November 8 at 12:00 PM, and live streaming will be available on our Facebook page day of service. Services will be held at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, 6321 Bandera Rd, San Antonio, Texas 78238. Cremation will soon follow. Please feel free to leave a message of condolence below with respect to the family.

For instructions on joining the live stream, please go to our official "Sunset Northwest Funeral Home" page and the first post you'll see will be the live stream. This will only appear day of service.

"A father doesn’t tell you that he loves you. He shows you." - Dimitri the Stoneheart