R.N. Alicia Elva Ortiz Garcia, N.P.

Alicia O. Garcia died peacefully in her sleep Sunday August 20, 2017. She was preceded in death by her parents Maurillo V. Ortiz St. and Josephina Aguirre Ortiz; her brothers Maurillo V. Ortiz Jr., Richard Aguirre Ortiz and her sister Josefina Avina. Alicia was deeply devoted to family and treasured her many nieces and nephews.

Alicia was born in San Antonio, Texas at Santa Rosa Hospital. She studied nursing at the same hospital receiving her B.S. Nursing degree and became a Registered Nurse. She continued her education and became one of the first Nurse Practitioners in Texas. Alicia's nursing career spanned over 60 years including service with the Veterans Administration and Methodist Hospital. Alicia was active in the Methodist Church and volunteered for the US2 Missionary program to poor, minority communities in the United States. One of her assignments took her to El Paso, Texas where she met the son of a Methodist minister, Efraim S. Garcia.

In 1952, Efraim was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Graduated from Texas Western College and married Alicia all on the same day. On their first tour of duty in Heidelberg Germany, one year later in 1953, their son, David R. Garcia was born, followed in 1955 by their daughter Grace Ann Garcia. The joy of her life, her grandson Cole David Garcia was born in 1995.

Alicia remained active in nursing and the Methodist Church throughout her life. She lived her faith through caring and compassionate actions to help the poor and less fortunate. She saw a need for basic nutrition in the poor families on the Westside of San Antonio and single handedly started a food bank at her church, El Divino Salvador UMC, that grew to provide 300 families with nutritious meals and groceries every week.

As a nurse, she dedicated her entire life to helping and caring for others. Her unbound-less love now radiates through her family and friends after her passing. During this time of mourning, we ask for your thoughts and prayers not for a reduction in our grief, but for the strength to carry on her legacy of compassion and quiet strength.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 26, 2017 from 9:30 am to 11:00 am following a service at 11:00 am at Porter Loring Mortuary on McCullough.