OBIT – Oscar Garza
MISSION – Oscar Garza, 59, went to be with our Lord on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016.
He was the youngest of nine children born to Hermenegildo I. and Concepcion Flores Garza on August 12, 1957 in Gilroy, CA. Oscar spent his formative years in McFarland, CA where he worked the fields with his parents and siblings and excelled in sports, having been coached by the famous Jim White.
When Oscar was 15, the Garza family moved to Mission, TX. He was a graduate of the Mission High School Class of 1976. While in high school, he made life-long friends, was a proud Eagle athlete, and was nicknamed “Catfish”. Oscar worked throughout the school years and helped his father at the ranch. In the summers, he worked as a longshoreman in Galveston, TX. As a sophomore, Oscar met the love of his life, Noralinda “Norie” Gonzalez Garza; they married on November 19, 1982, and had four children. Oscar was loved and cherished as a son by his in-laws, Arturo and Emma Gonzalez, and the entire Gonzalez and Gomez families.
Oscar was a family man, deeply devoted to his wife and children, parents and siblings, and above all, his grandsons. He was a longtime Mission businessman, rancher, little league coach for his children, owner of Real Estate Investments, LLC in Mission and McAllen, TX, and, like his father before him, the proud owner of Cabrito Market, Inc. in Palmview, Texas. Oscar was a dedicated public servant, having served on the Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 6 Board of Directors for 30 years and as president of the board since 2007.
Oscar had an unwavering faith; he began and ended each day with prayer. He loved nature and all of its beauty, and enjoyed spending his free time by the Rio Grande River. Oscar loved watching the sun rise on his morning walks while he prayed and reflected on God’s blessings. He was on his last walk when he was called to be with our Lord. He will always be remembered by his joy for life and love of family, his youthful spirit, and strong work ethic.
Oscar was preceded in death by his father, Hermenegildo I. Garza, and his siblings Orfila Garza, Ovidio Garza, and Horacio Garza. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 34 years, Norie Gonzalez Garza; children Carina Garza De Luna (Marco), Aissa Garza, Oscar Arturo Garza (Maiela), and Alyna Garza. He is also survived by Grandpa’s joys, Josiah Arturo Garza, Isai Sebastian De Luna, and Cristian Emiliano De Luna; as well as his mother, Concepcion Flores Garza, his siblings Otilia Laguna, Hermengildo “Kiro” Garza, Jr. (Irene), Olivia Lopez (Andres), Odilia Moreno (Jose), and San Juanita “Janie” Garza; and 18 nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass was held on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Burial followed at San Jose Catholic Cemetery in Mission.
Javier Salinas, Rigoberto Garza and Joe Aguilar, and his nephews, Joseph Lopez, Adrian Lopez, Jose Heriberto “Eddie” Sandoval and David Moreno served as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers were Marco Antonio De Luna, Jose Luis “Wicho” Flores and Delfino Cervantes and Oscar’s grandsons, Josiah Arturo Garza, Isai Sebastian De Luna and Cristian Emiliano De Luna.