Before midnight on April 3, 2020, Agustin Garcia De La Garza left his earthly life to join his wife Noemi. Back in Seven Sisters, Texas, Agustin was born on August 28, 1933 to Colon and Casiana De La Garza. At an early age, Agustin wanted to help his family with daily necessities. He quit school and found jobs to accomplish his goals. Eager to serve his country, Agustin joined the Army. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Germany as a cook. He later returned to Freer, Texas where he met the needs of car owners at the local gas station. Life became joyful when he met the love of his life and kindred spirit, Noemi Moncada. They were married on January 6, 1957 and enjoyed 62 years together. They had a daughter, Letha and a son, everyone called Gus (Jr). Wanting more job opportunities and a better life for their family, they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas.
Through truck driving, gas station, and maintenance jobs, Agustin and Noemi worked hard to provide for their family. They were surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors. If someone needed a place to stay, Agustin opened his home. When someone was stranded on the side of the road, he found a way to help. Whatever could be shared, he shared. Agustin cared for everyone.
Not long after his youngest daughter Michelle was born, Agustin realized that he needed a better job. He received his GED to further his opportunities. With the help of his brother-in-law, Charles Farias, Agustin applied to the Corpus Christi Army Depot. He became a Test Equipment Operator for CCAD in the NDT shop in 1973. The parts he inspected would be placed in helicopters, making him very meticulous with his work.
During an inspection by a Department of Defense representative, she saw Agustin had more discarded parts than his co-workers and asked why. Agustin told her that his inspection identified parts with fractures which would crack under pressure. He explained if a helicopter crashed due to defective parts, he would be held responsible. The DOD representative called Agustin’s supervisor and told him he had a valuable employee on his hands.
“Big D” as he was known retired from CCAD in 1997. For over a decade, he repaired small engines for reasonable fees. However, grandchildren soon came along and became the light and love of Agustin and Noemi’s lives.
Agustin is preceded in death by his wife Noemi and his son Roland De La Garza. He is also preceded in death by his parents, Colon and Casiana De La Garza; his siblings, Manuel, Tereso, Heriberto, Alejandro, Oscar, Bernardo De La Garza, Victoria Herrera, Catarina Rodriguez, and Herminia Gonzales.
Agustin is survived by his daughters, Letha (Paul) Warnke and Michelle (Michael) Freitag; his son, Gus (Becky) De La Garza; his grandchildren, Jacob, Nicole, and Samuel Warnke, and Braeden and Benjamin Freitag; his brother, Luis (Graciela) De La Garza and his sister Amelia (Esteban) de los Santos; as well as countless nieces and nephews.
A Facebook Live Chapel Service will be held on April 10, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery in Corpus Christi, Texas.
