Ernest Garcia

Life Remembered

With heartfelt sorrow, I regret to announce the passing of my father, Ernest Garcia, who departed this life peacefully on September 26, 2025, with his daughter by his side. Ernie is now reunited with his beautiful wife, Dorothy, the love of his life, sharing eternity after 46 years of marriage prior to her passing in 2016.

Ernie was born in Trinidad, Colorado, on August 24, 1934. His parents, Jose Delores and Eva Garcia, raised their family—five sons and one daughter, in an adobe house that Grandpa built with his own hands. At the time of his passing, Ernie was the last remaining member of his immediate family’s generation, carrying forward the family legacy at the age of 91.

His siblings include Margaret (Phillip) Armijo, Filbert (Virginia), Joe D “Junior” (Connie), Gabriel (Hope), and Joe “Jose” (Odalys). He suffered the loss of his first-born son, Ernest “Zeke” Garcia, on October 14, 2014, and most recently mourned the passing of his younger son Johnny Garcia and granddaughter Javon Garcia in July of this year.

Ernie is survived by his only daughter, Rose Garcia Delgado, his sister-in-law Odalys (Joe “Jose”) Garcia, his grandchildren Leroy and Dione Garcia, and great-grandchildren Maile Garcia, Xavier Bonny, and Serenitee Manzanares. He also leaves behind nephews and nieces, cousins and many lifelong friends and relations who cherish his memory.

Ernie was a pleasant man. Growing up with modest means, Ernie understood the value of hard work and perseverance. Life presented him with many obstacles, yet he always pressed on, encouraging his three children from a previous marriage to pursue their dreams and never give up regardless of the hardships they faced. He instilled in them the importance of showing respect—for themselves, and for others. He lived his life to the fullest and always had a joke or two.

Ernie was known for his creative cooking; he loved cooking up his famous mixtures and his homemade green chili was a family favorite. He had a great love of music, especially “hillbilly” and old country artists such as Conway Twitty, Hank Williams Sr., and Ronny Milsap. In his later years, he took pleasure in viewing the television game show Jeopardy, reading books, solving puzzles, and watching classic western films, demonstrating a remarkable ability to recall the names of notable actors. During their earlier years, Ernie and Dorothy enjoyed dancing to their favorite music from the selections in the jukebox located downstairs in the family room. They sure knew how to shake a leg on the dance floor.

Ernie was a Veteran in the US Air Force, receiving an Honorable Discharge as an Aircraft Mechanic. After his service, he worked tirelessly as a laborer in various fields to make ends meet. He finally landed a permanent job with the City and County of Denver and worked his way up as a truck driver. He retired with City at the age 62 to pursue a more relaxed lifestyle and spend quality time with his wife. Together, they traveled to places such as Israel, Spain, South Dakota, and Green River, UT.

Life presented new challenges after he suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which resulted in “Drop Foot” and required him to wear a foot brace. Despite this setback, Ernie continued to live independently throughout his remaining years. He was still driving himself from place to place up until a month of his passing.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, October 14th at Olinger Crown Hill Serenity Pointe Chapel, 7777 W 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO. Visitation begins at 10:30 AM, followed by a memorial service from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. A dove release will take place after the service. Interment will follow at Ft Logan National Cemetery at 12:45 PM, Staging Area Red, with military honors.

Ernie will be laid to rest with his cherished wife Dorothy. A Celebration of Life reception will follow at The American Legion Post 17, located at 1901 Harlan St., Edgewater, CO, for those who wish to attend.