Margarita Garcia

Margarita Garcia, devoted wife, loving mother, grandma, Nana, aunt, and friend passed away on April 21, 2023, just 25 days before her 100th birthday, from natural causes incident to Alzheimer’s, surrounded by her family. We can only imagine the celebration she will have with our father on her birthday on May 16th!  Our mother was born on May 16, 1923, to José A. and Maria Dolores Martinez on the family farm in Vallecitos, New Mexico, where she learned the values of hard work and close community.  She attended a one-room schoolhouse until 9th grade, when she enrolled in boarding school in El Rito, New Mexico.  After graduating, she attended the Spanish American Normal Teaching College.

Mom was united in marriage to our dad Jesus Garcia on June 26, 1945, in Vallecitos, New Mexico.  They were blessed with five children, whom she loved deeply: Esther Barbiero (Frank); Dolores Brown (Kent); Albert Garcia (Edith); Helen Wiseman (Bruce); and JoAnn Jex (Russell).  She used to tell us that her five children were like the five fingers on her hand – all different, and she loved them all the same, but secretly, we each thought we were her favorite!  Our mother was a faithful disciple in her Catholic faith, an immaculate housekeeper (which included the garage!), an energetic gardener (a weed never escaped her grasp!), a skilled seamstress, an avid bird watcher, a music lover (she played piano and guitar), and she could still diagram a sentence into her late 80s.  

Mom shared her gifts of time, treasure, and talent with her parish, St. Therese Catholic Church.  She held the positions of Treasurer and Vice-President in the Altar Society, was a devoted member of Cursillo, and performed her duties as a Eucharistic Minister and CCD instructor with faith and dedication.  She also volunteered weekly at St. Vincent Soup Kitchen.

Our mother was the volunteer parish coordinator for Catholic Community Services Seniors Program. In 1993, to recognize her work in this program, Governor Mike Leavitt presented our mother the Older American Service Award. This award was granted by the Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services for working to preserve the security, health, and independence of the elder citizens of Utah.

She was forever and unwaveringly devoted to her family from the minute her feet touched the floor in the morning until her evening prayers. We will miss hearing her whistling as she went about her day!  Our mother showered us with many gifts, including love, attention, and laughter.  But the greatest gift to our family was the love she had for our father.  It was evident they were soul mates – a wonderful match – a real love story!

Our mother is survived by her five children and their families, eleven grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren. Her love for each grandchild was immense. She also leaves her nieces and nephews who she loved like her own: Sammy Martinez (Cecilia), Dora Martinez, Ferdy Martinez (Jeanette), Nancy Quintana, José Luis Garcia (Lupe) and their families.

She is physically gone from us now, but we know in our hearts that she is resting in the house of our Lord and Savior in a room prepared just for her and our father and with all those loved ones who have gone before her.
Our families wish to express our deep appreciation to Helen, Bruce, and their family, for opening their home and their hearts to our mother since our father’s passing in 2018. 

In lieu of flowers, we invite you to make a donation to one of the following memorials in memory of Margarita Garcia: to the Utah Food Bank, 3150 S 900 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84119 (www.utahfoodbank.org), or to St. Therese Catholic Church Building Fund, 7832 Allen St., Midvale, UT 84047.

A viewing will be held Sunday, April 30, 2023, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. followed by a rosary starting at 6:30 p.m. at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State Street, Midvale.  A mass of Christian burial will be held Monday, May 1, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., with a viewing at 10:00 a.m., prior to mass, at St. Therese Catholic Church, 624 Lennox St., Midvale.

The service will be livestreamed on the Goff Mortuary Facebook Page at the following link: 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Funeral-Service---Cemetery/Goff-Mortuary-116988261695382/ 
(The livestream video will appear when the service starts.)

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