Obit – Carlos B. De La Garza
MISSION – Carlos De La Garza, 93, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, at Amara Hospice Facility in Edinburg.
Born at the family home to Carlos G. and Carmen G. de la Garza on Dec. 9, 1922, he grew up in the family business working in every aspect of what would become a meat market, grocery store, dry goods clothing store and a wholesale grocery warehouse on Conway and 8th St.
He graduated from Mission High School in 1940. He went to school that year to study business administration at the University of Texas in Austin. It was interrupted in 1942 when he was drafted into the military and signed with the U.S. Navy in July of 1943. In the fall semester of 1943, he was sent to the Navy’s midshipman officer training school at Tulane University in New Orleans. He was assigned to work at a Naval Depot warehouse in Scotia, N.Y. until the next midshipman class began at Harvard University in May 1944. He was then commissioned as an Ensign and then Lieutenant J.G.
He married Angelica Gonzalez in November of 1944 at El Buen Pastor Methodist Church in Edinburg.
His first duty was as the supply officer on the destroyer, the U.S.S. Upshur, in the Atlantic. He was later assigned to the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Manila Bay, in the Pacific Ocean until the end of the war. He remained in the Naval Reserves for a few years.
Mr. De La Garza returned home to serve as general manager for his parents’ three businesses from 1946 to 1986, when he retired.
From 1950 until 1957, he served as a member of the Mission School board. He was also a member of the Mission Housing Authority. In the 1960s, he served on the board of directors of the First National Bank in Mission.
He served on various committees, the board and with the choir of El Mesias United Methodist Church in Mission for many years.
Survivors include his wife of 71 years, Angelica G. de la Garza; children, Carlos B. de la Garza Jr. of Mission, Raul de la Garza of Albuquerque, N.M., Anid de la Garza of Bastrop, Nora de la Garza of Mission, Mari Schindler of Austin and Marlena Rodriguez of Mission; and five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Carmen Dominguez and Alicia Dominguez; and grandson, David I. Rodriguez.
Visitation will be held on Friday, Sept. 30, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home in Mission, and from 6 to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service at El Mesias United Methodist Church in Mission. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. at El Mesias. Burial follows at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery in McAllen.
Serving as pallbearers are Raul de la Garza, David Dominguez, Mark Schindler, Dr. Ruben Rodriquez Jr., Scott Schindler, Ruben Rodriguez III, and Benjamin Rodriguez. Honorary pallbearers will be Carlos B. de la Garza Jr., Hugo Dominguez, Dr. Ricardo Barrera, Dr. Cayetano Barrera, Agustin de la Garza, Tony Longoria, Arturo Molina, Juan Navarro, Carlos Alaniz Sr. and Romeo Gonzalez.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to El Mesias United Methodist Church, Amara Hospice or the U.S.O.