Felipe T. de la Garza

CDR Felipe T. de la Garza (Ret.) was born on December 21, 1935 and peacefully passed away with his family by his side on March 9, 2025, at the age of 89. He is now reunited in Heaven with his beloved wife, Maria Cristina.

Felipe and Maria Cristina were married for 63 years and were blessed with six children and six grandchildren. He will be remembered as a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather, with a deep passion for learning and sharing knowledge. During their many years in San Antonio, the family made frequent trips to visit Maria Cristina's family in Mexico, maintaining a close and enduring connection with them.

Felipe inspired a sense of culinary adventure in Maria Cristina, motivating her to preserve the recipes of their families while also exploring those from other cultures. In his later years, he relished sampling and making endless variations of tamales. This passion for food and travel was passed down to their children and grandchildren, who all share an appreciation for diverse cuisines and an innate curiosity about the world.

Later in life, Felipe took great pleasure in engaging people he encountered and learning about their heritage, traditional dishes and favorite restaurants. Among his favorite pastimes were watching cooking shows and trying new dining spots.

Felipe attended the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, where he earned his degree in civil engineering. It was there that he met the love of his life, Maria Cristina Rodriguez. Felipe worked as an engineer for the City of San Antonio and proudly served in the Vietnam War as a Civil Engineer in the U.S. Navy Reserve Mobile Construction Battalion (SeaBees) 22/Lone Star Battalion. He completed a distinguished 20-year military career, retiring as a Commander in the Naval Reserves. Felipe also built a successful career in federal civilian service at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio and Edwards Air Force Base in Lancaster, CA.

Beyond his military and civil service career, Felipe was passionate about teaching. He loved sharing his knowledge, teaching math, surveying, computer programming and construction-related courses at local colleges well into his 70s.

Felipe believed his greatest contribution was passing on his love for learning to others. He enjoyed engaging in conversations that explored the “what ifs” of the world, considering new ways to approach challenges. While fascinated by science, Felipe also found peace in his faith and the power of prayer. A strong believer in the power of active visualization, he often reminded his children, “The only limitations are those we place on ourselves.” Felipe instilled a strong work ethic in his children, along with a passion for learning, professionalism, and compassion.

Felipe is preceded in death by his parents Hortencia Ibarra and Felipe de la Garza, wife Maria Cristina, brother Jose and sister A. Yolanda Seck. He is survived by siblings Rosa Puype, M. Cristina Witham, Carlos (Barbara) and Juan; and children Felipe (wife Maria, children Gabriel and Marisol), Javier (wife Katherine, children Justin and Alejandro), Andrew (wife Flori), Theresa (husband Matthew, child Sophia), Yvonne, and Patricia (husband Levi, child Luca).

The family will be receiving guests on May 4, 2025, at 5:00 PM at Porter Loring Mortuaries North.

ROSARY

SUNDAY, May 4, 2025

6:00 PM

PORTER LORING MORTUARIES NORTH

2102 N. LOOP 1604 E., SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78232

SERVICE

MONDAY, May 5, 2025

11:00 AM

PORTER LORING MORTUARIES NORTH

2102 N. LOOP 1604 E., SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78232

Burial to follow at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery with full military honors. Police escorts will be available to guests from Porter Loring to Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, shelter no. 1.