Alfredo Luis Garcia Rivera

Alfredo Luis "Freddie" Garcia, a longtime resident of Waukegan, was born on August 31, 1946 to Crecencia Aurora Rivera and Angel Luis Garcia. He was surrounded by family when he passed away on September 23, 2023 from complications due to heart disease.

Alfredo was lovingly known as Tista and Freddie by friends and family. He grew up in Ciales, Puerto Rico and graduated from Juan Rios Serpa High School where he excelled in mathematics. As intelligent as he was, he wasn’t afforded the opportunity for higher education. Instead, he worked from a young age to provide for his mother and brothers.

He came to Chicago in the sixties and found work as a laborer at American Motors in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He spent over thirty years in the automotive industry and retired in 2001 from the Daimler Chrysler plant in Belvidere, Illinois. He commuted two hours each way the last ten years of his career with his colleague and friend, Victor Jasso.

Freddie was fastidious about time and will forever be an ardent, yet frustrated, Chicago Bears fan. He was a devoted and loving family man and helped others through acts of service. He served as a Deacon at First Baptist Church in Waukegan, Illinois and could recite the Bible by memory. As a proud UAW Union Local 72 member, he scanned parking lots for American made cars. He loved listening to jibaro songs (Puerto Rican country music), singing, playing the güiro, and dominos. You could catch him on a warm day swinging from his hammock out back. Most of all, he loved big.

Alfredo was preceded in death by his parents, Crecencia Aurora Rivera and Angel Luis Garcia, his brothers Angel Antonio “Toño” Garcia and Alfredo “Fredo” Garcia, and his dog Mickey.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Iris; his five children, Hector Mendez (wife Carolina, son Hector), Roberto Mendez (wife Ada Liz, son Roberto), Cynthia Mendez (sons Vernon and Robert), Brenda Espiritusanto (husband Julio, daughter Natalia), Cassandra Garcia-Hooks (husband Levon, son Sebastian, daughter Camila); his brothers Jose Luis Garcia, Gilberto Garcia and Angel Antonio “Vitin” Garcia; three spirited great granddaughters Catherine, Iris, and Lincoln and their mother Nicole; and many nieces and nephews including la favorita, Lily.

A visitation and celebration of life in honor of Freddie will be held on Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM followed by a service from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM at Marsh Funeral Home in Gurnee, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made out to the Edwin Montano Scholarship Fund via check and mailed to 13492 Lake Shore Drive, Clive, IA 50325.