Pete J. Garcia

Pete J. Garcia, 87, of Shreveport, surrounded by his loving family, went home to be with his Savior on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, August 20, 2016, 10 A.M. at Southern Hills Church of Christ. The family will receive visitors on Friday, August 19, 2016 from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. at Centuries Memorial Funeral Home.

Pete was born on October 19, 1928 in Rhineland, TX to Rafael Garcia and Felicitas Juarez Garcia. Since a very young age, Pete was always a hard worker. In his early years he worked as a laborer in South Texas. He then began working at Pioneer Gas Company in Lubbock, TX where he met his future wife Anna Cruz. They were married on June 27, 1953 and not long after he felt the calling to ministry. While still working for Pioneer, he started attending Sunset School of Preaching in Lubbock, TX in 1962. Upon completing school, he started a Spanish congregation in a small community near Lubbock, called Idalou, which helped bring many people to Christ. He mentored some brothers there, who would later continue leading in his place as he was called to serve as a minister in Brownfield, TX. While in Brownfield, in 1968, he along with other ministers form the Sunset School went to Panama to do mission work, which was successful in helping to plant a new church. In 1971, Pete had the opportunity to begin a Spanish congregation in Saginaw, MI. During this time, he also began working for General Motors. In 1984, he was transferred to General Motors in Shreveport, LA where he later retired in 1997. During his time in Shreveport, he had become an active member of Southern Hills Church of Christ. Those who knew him remember him as being a patient, sweet, God fearing man who always had a smile on his face.

Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Rafael Garcia and Felicitas Juarez Garcia, brothers Pablo Salazar and Jose Salazar, sisters Martha Salazar and Lupe Cardenas.

Those who live on to share his memory are his loving wife, Anna Cruz Garcia, his children, Felisitas Leopard and husband John, Pete Garcia, Jr. and his wife Kim, Linda Canizales and husband Hector, Lisa Tavera and husband Saul, and Pricilla Garza and husband Anthony, and his sister, Viviana Oliva. Also to survive him are his grandchildren Kristy Garcia Nelson and husband Jeff, Valerie Canizales, Vanessa Medina and husband Robert, Annastacia Garcia, Nadine Tavera, Hector Canizales, Jr., Joshua Canizales and his wife Samantha, Andrew Garza, Marisa Tavera, and Adrianna Garza, his great-grandchildren Scotty Swanson, Trinity Nelson, Ethan Nelson, Alexis Medina, Maddox Medina, Ethan Levi Canizales, and Kingtston Lee Canizales and many nieces and nephews.