Michael Garcia

Michael passed away peacefully surrounding by his loved ones in the early hours of May 3, 2019.    Michael was born in Albuquerque to Elias and Lena Garcia.  The family moved to the Los Angeles area in 1955.  Michael spent his teen years growing up in Lawndale and Hawthorne, California.  He loved to play drums and recorded tracks with Chris Montez in the early 1960’s.  Michael had two children, Tony and Sonia with his first wife Lydia.  Michael later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where he worked for the local gas company.  He moved back to Albuquerque with his wife Bernadette “Bernie” in 1976.  The family moved to Rio Rancho and lived there for many years with their sons David and Julian “JJ”.   He worked for Duke City Lumber Company and went on to work and retire from the County of Bernalillo from the Operations and Maintenance Department.   Michael loved to go camping and fishing and enjoyed may hours in the beautiful outdoors. Michael is pre-deceased by his parents and his brothers Mariano and Henry Garcia, and the love his life Bernadette “Bernie” Garcia.

Michael is survived by his brother John Garcia and wife Margaret, sister Vangie Valdez and husband Jesse, and sister Mary Jo Jaramillo and husband Richard, his children Anthony “Tony” Garcia and Sonia Pagett from Hawthorne, California, David Garcia and Julian James Garcia from Rio Rancho, NM, and 15 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren, with one on the way, including several nieces and nephews.  Special condolences to Maria H. Diaz, his companion and mate for the past 15 years and to her family for all their love and support.