Armando Garcia

Armando Garcia joined our Lord on October 24, 2022, at the age of 82.  He spent a long, fruitful life as a proud husband, married for 57 years to Diana Cardenas Garcia, and proud father of Debora Garcia Sanchez and Marco Armando Garcia.  He exemplified his belief that nothing is more important than family and Faith through his unconditional love for all of his grandchildren, Nico, Samuel and Daniel Sanchez; Marco, Sebastian, Lauren and Mason Garcia.

He was raised almost entirely by his beloved mother, Josefina B. Garcia (deceased), after his father, Silvestre Garcia, passed away early in his childhood. He developed his strong work ethic, humility, and strong family values while growing up on Soledad Ranch in Zapata County and in Laredo in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

After graduating from Martin HS and Texas A&I University, he proudly served his country as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1963-1965.  He taught ROTC at J.W. Nixon HS from 1965-1970.  He then joined the U.S. Customs Service in 1970 where he served as a law enforcement officer until 1995. Upon retiring from U.S. Customs, he spent a few years as a General Manager at Rudy Miles Customs Brokers Inc.  In the final years of his life, he served as a member of Webb County Appraisal Review Board.

In between all of his extraordinary career accomplishments, he always found time to do what was most important to him.  He was a great husband, father, and grandfather.  He always made sure to keep his family committed to the tenets that he learned from his mother and siblings early in life – love your family, work hard, be humble, proud, and a lifelong learner.

He was also preceded in death by siblings Salvador Garcia, Oscar Garcia, Estela G. Saenz, and Silvestre Garcia Jr.  He will be missed by siblings Acela Benavidez, Carolina Guevara, Leonel Garcia, Mary Garcia, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

The family will be receiving condolences on Friday, October 28 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Fred Dickey Funeral and Cremation Services, 1320 Trey Dr.  A eulogy will begin at 6:40 p.m. and Vigil for the Deceased and Rosary will commence at 7 p.m. Funeral Services will be conducted on Saturday, October 29 departing at 8:30 a.m. from Fred Dickey Funeral Chapels to St. Patrick’s Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00 a.m. Rite of Committal and Internment will follow at the City of Laredo Cemetery. Military Honors will be provided by the Laredo Veterans Honor Guard and flag presentation will be provided by the United States Army honor guard.

Pallbearers are Juan Sanchez, Nico Sanchez, Samuel Sanchez, Daniel Sanchez, Marco E. Garcia, Sebastian Garcia, Jose Saenz, and The Honorable Robert Francis.

The family extends their gratitude to his physicians and medical professionals who attended to him in the last years of his life, Dr. Grace Snyder McNutt, Dr. Ramon de la Torre, Dr. Luis Benavides, and the amazing nursing staff at Nurses on Wheels.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care and direction of the funeral service professionals at Fred Dickey Funeral and Cremation Services, 1320 Trey Dr. Laredo, TX 78041; (956) 723-3611.