Helena G. Garcia

Helena G. Garcia, 88, of Bryan passed away on December 25, 2016 surrounded by family at Broadmoor Place in Bryan. Visitation will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bryan Thursday, December 29, 2016 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The Rosary will be at 7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am, Friday, December 30th at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Rev. Msgr. John A. McCaffrey as Celebrant. Interment will follow at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

Helena was born August 17, 1928 in Bremond, Texas, the daughter of Jose Gonzales and Ignacia Izaguirre and was raised in Robertson and Falls counties. She married Louis M. Garcia on January 11, 1947 and together they raised five children in Bryan. In addition to being a loving wife and mother, she worked outside the home to provide the ‘little extras’ for her children. Later she became a caregiver for her mother-in-law, her mother, and cared for grandchildren and great-grandchildren while their parents worked.

She was a very loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and still made time to be very active in her church community through the Guadalupanas of St. Theresa Catholic Church, the Mt. Carmel Rosary Guild, Prison Ministry at St. Joseph Catholic Church and a dedicated deacon’s wife. However, she made her most powerful impact on the lives of the young men of St. Theresa when she organized the Pajes de Cristo Rey for almost 30 years.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Rev. Deacon Louis M. Garcia, her mother, stepfather, Jose Lopez, brothers, Jose Jr., Candelario, and Angel Lopez. In-laws Herlinda & Ricardo Garcia, Helen Garcia, Pete Garcia, Delia Constancio Garcia, Juan & Concha Marquez

Survivors include her children, Louis Garcia, Jr. & his wife Estella, James & his wife Sharon, Martha Garcia Opersteny & her husband Michael, Roland & his wife Rosie all of Bryan; Anna Patricia Ramon & her husband Ricardo of San Antonio; grandsons, Gabriel, James Christopher, Roland Louis, and Robert Matthew Garcia, Ricardo Ramon, Jaret & Sam Opersteny; granddaughters, Amber Stormberg, Alysia Yates, Amy Thompson, Adrienne Ramirez, Ana, Bianca, & Monica Ramon; great-grandchildren Austin R. Garcia, James Paul, Tyson, Tiana & Jason Thompson; Alina Marie, Inia, Gabriel, Jr. Garcia; Mia Portillo, Alexandria Garcia, Arabel Holguin, Marvin Yates, Jr., Madison, Ceremiah, & Camberlyn Stormberg; three brothers, Raymond, Felix Lopez, and Doroteo Lopez, five sisters Lupe Garcia, Mary Quintero, Irene Arevalo, Hilda DeLeon, and Margarita Lopez.

The family would like to extend their thanks to those who helped to care for their mother during her struggle with dementia including her nephew & his wife, Everado Garcia Calvo & Wendy Navarez; Annie Ramirez Villarreal; and all the staff of the Broadmoor Place.