Marcello Garcia

Marcello Garcia was a man for whom actions would speak louder than words. His life motto might well have been “if it isn’t logical, it’s not important.” The qualities of being fair, just and the ability to recognize what was right were clearly driving forces in Marcello’s life. He was also the kind of person who could respect a “do not disturb” sign, whether it was real or implied. He was analytical and observant, with an ability to be simultaneously spontaneous and keenly perceptive. Marcello was modest in his actions and extremely literal in his thoughts and in the manner in which he communicated with others. When Marcello said something, he meant it. All those who knew him appreciated this trademark quality.

Marcello was born on January 30, 1943 in California. His parents were Manuel and Victoria Garcia. Marcello was raised in San Jose, California. Even as a small child, Marcello wanted to understand what was right and what was wrong in any given situation. As Marcello grew older, he realized the importance of being treated fairly, and in return, he treated everyone around him the same way. This belief in fair play served Marcello well throughout his life and despite his natural shyness; he enjoyed a solid group of friends.

Since Marcello sought to treat those around him with respect, he often found himself in the role of playing peacemaker within his family. He was comfortable in working through the types of sibling rivalry situations that quite often occur, because he loved the challenge of conflict resolution. He would look at the most reasonable and practical ways to settle any disputes. Marcello was raised with seven siblings. He had one older brother, Steve, four older sisters, Helen, Mickey, Rose and Betty, one younger brother, Frank, and one younger sister, Gloria. Marcello was constantly involved in activities with his siblings. Marcello and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up, but they shared many life experiences.

The fact that he was curious was an asset to Marcello while he was in school. He possessed strong study skills and good concentration. He relished the task of scrutinizing problems, investigating all of the options and then solving them. Marcello enjoyed tackling the project that was right in front of him and working it straight through to its conclusion. Sometimes, he would become so involved in the process of problem solving that he would lose awareness of his surroundings. Experience was Marcello’s best teacher. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1961. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

This same loyalty and up front honesty Marcello shared with his friends carried over to other aspects of his life, including his relationships with his family. On September 21, 1968, Marcello exchanged wedding vows with Hazel Darlene Snyder in Reno, Nevada. The marriage became a solid relationship, due in part to Marcello’s skill at bringing fresh energy and clarity to meeting Hazel's needs. He was a great listener who enjoyed the couple’s “together” time, especially when it came to celebrating special occasions.

As the family grew, Marcello was easily able to adapt to the changes and challenges of parenthood. Marcello was blessed with three children, three sons, Daniel, Tony, and Benny - who passed away in September 2011. He was also blessed with seven grandchildren, Benny Jr., Roman, Brittney, Danielle, Christian, Chloe, and Jacob. Marcello was never impulsive in dealing with family problems. Instead, he would carefully think things through before implementing the solution in a logical and objective manner. Marcello was a strong, clear communicator who excelled at eliminating confusion by making matters crystal clear to all those involved. At the same time, Marcello’s inventive nature could turn some of the boring old household chores into a fun activity for the family.

In his work life, Marcello was the kind of person who had no difficulty in taking on a project and seeing it through to its completion. He excelled at dealing with those pesky details that can derail some people, and once he understood exactly why he was working on a project, he could plow full steam ahead. For Marcello, being able to grasp the logical components of any task was significant to him in appreciating its importance. Even if he worked alone on an assignment, Marcello was able to incorporate and welcome new insights from co-workers, and he would readily use them if they improved the process. His primary occupation was as a Machinist. He was employed for 32 years at Lockheed Aerospace. Marcello always made the effort to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Marcello was an Army veteran. He understood his duty to serve his country and the importance of getting a job done. He was comfortable with the routines of the military and even liked them to some degree, especially when it came to grasping the clear instructions and guidelines he was expected to follow. He served in the Lt. Weapons Infantry from August 1964 to June 1966 and spent much of his military service stationed in Germany. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Private E2 and was also considered an expert Rifleman. He received several awards including a National Defense Service Metal.

Marcello’s curious and inquisitive nature influenced his choice of leisure pursuits as well. He applied his strong concentration and analytical skills as to how things worked to his choice of activities. He particularly enjoyed the “alone” time his hobbies provided. His favorite pursuits were camping, motorcycle traveling, building computers, and watching movies. Marcello was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Marcello had the ability to stay calm and the determination to do what was necessary to get the job finished, traits that helped him enjoy sports. Marcello was a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and boxing.

Marcello was an asset to any organization he joined. In many ways, he was a man of action who would rather tackle a job than spend time chatting about irrelevant things. He worked well on small committees and excelled at focusing on the important details without getting bogged down by the unnecessary parts of an assignment. Throughout his later years, Marcello was an active member of the National Rifle Association.

Marcello appreciated the occasions when he was able to travel and get away on a vacation. He enjoyed learning about different locales and was open to exploring new and different places. Favorite vacation spots included the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and New Mexico. He thoroughly enjoyed the task of gathering and analyzing travel information as he prepared for an upcoming trip.

Marcello was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Two of Marcello’s favorites was Poncho and Pepe, his Chihuahua dogs. He was best friends with Poncho for 10 years, and Pepe for 2 years.

As his retirement approached, Marcello viewed the event as just one more project to research and solve. So, when the day finally arrived in 1998, he was well prepared. His new life involved relocating from San Jose, California to Los Banos, California.

Marcello passed away on February 22, 2014 at Los Banos Memorial Hospital, California. He fought a brave battle against complications from Diabetes and Heart disease. He is survived by his wife Darlene; his sons Daniel and Tony; his grandchildren Benny Jr., Roman, Brittney, Danielle, Christian, Chloe, and Jacob; his brother Frank; and his sisters Mickey, Rose, Betty, and Gloria. Services were held at Oak Hill Funeral Home in the Drawing Room Chapel in San Jose, California. Marcello was laid to rest in Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose, California.

Marcello strongly believed that talk is cheap. He was the type of person who would show others his feelings through his actions. He was practical and realistic but was able to be flexible when the need arose. He had a curiosity about the things around him and tried to experience life directly rather than sit back and talk about it. The experiences he treasured most were those he shared with his loved ones. Marcello Garcia will be greatly missed.