Oralia, or lovingly called Yaya, was born on December 19th, 1931, to Benito and Rebeca Garcia. Being born on the cusp of the Silent Generation, Oralia demonstrated many of the members’ characteristics as she was loyal to her career, Catholic beliefs and her family. Valuing stability and dependability, she was also full of strength and a strong sense of determination.
Oralia graduated from Brownsville High School in 1950 as a member of the National Honor Society. Then she met the love of her life, Eleuterio (Teo) Galvan. They married on Valentine’s Day in 1953 and were together for 67 incredible years. Together they had four children, Rebecca, Eleuterio Jr., Richard and Cristina.
Ahead of her time for women of her era, she worked for 35 years with the Sears Department Store building a well-respected career amongst her colleagues. There is no doubt that her example of successfully balancing family life and work life lead to her daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters fearlessly trailblazing paths of their own.
After retirement, she helped Teo on the financial side of various real estate projects creating several subdivisions and constructing multiple duplexes. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, they leased “the best” RV spot at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island where many family memories were created and stories told to this day.
Oralia loved to have her home spotless, sew for her daughters and grandchildren, work in her garden, host special holidays, belly laugh at ‘Jack Tripper’ and solve her detective whodunit shows like ‘Murder She Wrote’ and ‘Columbo’.
Throughout her life, Oralia was a devout Catholic. In 1980, when Teo joined the Knights of Columbus, she also joined the Auxiliary Ladies of the Knights of Columbus. They both participated in charity work and volunteer efforts to help several Catholic churches.
Oralia is survived by her siblings and their spouses Blanca (Jerry), Alfonso, and Rosie (Luke); children-in-law Dave, Liz, Martha, and Javier; grandchildren Monica, Sara, Jake, Kathleen, Natalí, Ivan, Eva, Ryan, Elisa, Zach, and Marlíse, and their spouses, and twelve great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents Benito and Rebeca Garcia and her loving Husband, Teo (2020).
A visitacion for Oralia will be held Friday, June 30, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM with a rosary at 4:30 PM in Chapel of Peace at Funeraria del Angel Buena Vista & Buena Vista Burial Park, 125 Mcdavitt Blvd, Brownsville, Texas 78521. A funeral mass will occur Saturday, July 1, 2023 at 12:00 PM at St Luke Catholic Church, 2800 Rockwell Dr, Brownsville, Texas 78521. Followed by a burial at 1:00 PM at Buena Vista Burial Park, 5 Mcdavitt Blvd, Brownsville, Texas 78521.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangelbuenavista.com for the Galvan family.
