Mr. Robert "Buddy" Garcia

Born in Houston and raised in Galveston, Buddy grew up in the rough and tumble 30’s, selling newspapers by age 8. He graduated from Ball High in 1942 and joined the Army where he became the Army Lightweight Boxing Champion of the World, and went on to coach the Army Boxing Team.

After the war, in 1945, he became a professional boxer and rose to #2 in the world with 67 fights, (60-3-4). He headlined often in Madison Square Garden, where stars such as Al Jolson, Joe E. Lewis, Phil Harris and Alice Faye, were frequent ringside fans. He stayed involved in sports throughout his life, and went to nearly every Final Four and Super Bowl.

Just like the movies, the boxer met model Jeanne Fenn, from Dallas, on an arranged date in Galveston in 1947. They didn’t see each other again until a year later, when Jeanne was modeling in New York and Buddy was training for a fight. Then, they literally bumped into each other on a crowded Saturday night in Times Square, married 3 weeks later, and stayed married 67 years until his death.

Buddy was a giver who left everyone he met with a smile and a compliment, and never met a stranger. He loved people, poker, family cruises, country music, sports, animals, and Galveston but, most of all, he loved his family and friends.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife Jeanne and their two dogs, Chewy and Chica; daughter Debbie Garcia Aiello and her husband Joe; granddaughter Ashley Aiello Prieto and her husband Rick; granddaughter Lindsay Aiello Dickerman and her husband, Rick; great-grandson Logan Dickerman; niece Mickey Coats, of Austin, and her family, Buster, Courtney and Taylor; nephew Damon Francis, of Ontario CA; nephew Rob Villarreal and wife Aimee of Dallas; and hundreds of other family members and friends who will never forget the Champ.

Buddy’s favorite expression was “Have no fear - Garcia’s here.” To those of us who loved him, he still is.

A memorial service and reception will be held for Buddy on Saturday, October 10, at 3 pm at Heights Funeral Home, 1317 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77008.

Interment will be a private ceremony with military honors at the Houston National Cemetery

Arrangements under the direction of Heights Funeral Home, Houston, TX.