Elena A. Garcia

Elena Aleman Garcia entered into rest January 24, 2021 at the age of 92, She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great great-mother and friend to many. She was born June 17, 1928 in Laredo Texas to Atilano Aleman and Benita Villarreal, the third child of nine that survived infancy. She grew up living not only in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico but in various farms and ranches for which her father worked, in northern Mexico and south Texas. She often talked of a very impoverished, but happy childhood. Fun for her was making dolls from corn husks, sticking flower petals on her fingernails or teasing tarantulas out of their borrows. Her and her family also worked as migrants traveling as far as Michigan during cherry picking season. Photographs from that time show happiness on their faces but prejudice met them all along their travels which they endured through to a future better life.

The family ultimately settled down and built a house in Nuevo Laredo. In order to help her family survive, she left primary school after third grade and began working in private homes as a nanny and later as a maid. The goal was always to help her parents, younger brothers and sisters.

Her passion, in her teenage years, was dancing, but she recounted how she would feel sick to her stomach from excitement before going to a dance. She, her sisters and friends, would go out hand in hand under the watchful eyes of her brother Raul to dance all night. She sang on live music radio in Nuevo Laredo when invited and the tomboy in her loved to play baseball, which she played catcher.

Still determined to help their family survive, she, her sister Consuelo, and two friends moved to the big city of San Antonio, found jobs working at a dry cleaner, and started sending money home. While in San Antonio, a friend invited her on a blind date and as luck would have it, she met her future husband Jorge Garcia. He was recovering at Fort Sam Houston Army hospital, as he lost his right arm during combat in the Korean war. She fondly recalls how his good looks, light brown eyes and Puerto Rican accent had garnered her attention. She visited him while he continued his recuperation, they fell in love, and in less than three months, June 1953, they were married.

Jorge and Elena then relocated to Cayey, Puerto Rico, Jorge’s hometown, in order for him to work on his bachelor’s degree. While living there five of their six children were born; Jorge in 1954, Elena (deceased) 1955, Gregorio in 1956, Patria in 1957, Carlos in 1959. The family then relocated Laredo where Maria Elena was born in 1960.

In 1969 the family moved back to San Antonio so Jorge could continue on his bachelor and later master’s degree. He later became the Executive Director of Wesley Community Center. As with many women of Elena’s generation, she worked as a mother and executive director of all thing’s children and home. She was her children’s greatest support, chauffer, counselor, teacher, chef and care giver. She especially loved taking care of her grandchildren, where she indulged them by being silly to make them and others laugh. The Lord was key in her life and she was a life long member of St Leonard’s Catholic Church. She and Jorge were married for 52 years, from June 1953 to April 2005, when her beloved Jorge passed away unexpectedly.

Later in life a few of the things she enjoyed doing was playing loteria/bingo and she would never say no to an invitation to visit any casino and would even take a charter bus with others going to Kickapoo Casino in Eagle Pass. She was also a member of the Lucky 12 bunco club for over 50 years in which she made life long friends.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Jorge Garcia, daughter Elena, parents Atilano and Benita Aleman, brother Raul Aleman, sisters Benedicta Navarrette, Elvia Carrillo and grandson Jason Garcia. She is survived by her 5 children and their spouses, Jorge and wife Laura, Gregorio and wife Carmen, Patria and husband Leonard Humes Jr., Carlos, and Maria Elena and husband David Ogura. She was blessed to be loved and greatly love her 18 grandchildren; Lorraine, Shawn, Jason (D), Crystal, Louis, Jennifer, Erica, Abigail, Gabriella, Jason, Julia, Brandon, Katherine, Gregory, Joey, Heather, Paloma and Samuel, 29 great-grandchildren and 2 great great-children. She is also survived by her siblings Tomasa Hernandez, Consuelo Ruiz, Atilano Aleman, Roberto Aleman, and Jose Blas Aleman and a large extended family.

The viewing will be held on Sunday, February 21 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Rosary will begin at 7 p.m. at funeraria Del Angel Trevino Home located at 2525 Palo Alto Rd. San Antonio Texas 78211. Please be aware that with COVID safety standard in place only 50 people will be allowed in the viewing area at a time. We will all work together to accommodate those wanting to pay their respects. A funeral mass will be held on Monday February 22, a decades long parish of hers, St Leonard’s Catholic Church, 8210 S Zarzamora, San Antonio Texas 78224, at 12:30. COVID safety standards for the church service is 100 attendees. The burial will take place at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery where she will join her husband Jorge Garcia in eternal rest. Unfortunately, the number of family members that can be present is extremely limited. Please plan to say your farewells at the church.