Leo Garcia

Leo M. Garcia – Age 81 A lifelong resident of Ojo Caliente passed away peacefully at his home on May 1, 2017 after a lengthy illness surrounded by his loved ones. Leo was born and raised in the same home he passed away in. Leo was born on June 4, 1935 to Juan De La Cruz and Josefa Lopez Garcia in Ojo Caliente, NM.  He was the youngest of eight children, Leo helped his parents on the farm until he met and married Carolina Chacon of Alcalde, NM in 1957 and were blessed with three children.  All of his life he worked in the Lumber Industry as a Lumber Grader in sawmills both in Monte Vista, Colorado and Espanola, NM.  During his retirement years from the Lumber Industry, he provided his services to the El Rito District Ranger Station. Leo always provided for his family and made sure they had everything they needed.  He was a very generous and loving man, who liked to joke with people and loved to have his friends and family around him. Leo lived his life to the fullest.   He enjoyed playing his guitar and was a professional musician, he played in several bands over the years and was also a co-founder of the band “Los Rancheros Del Norte” along with his son. Leo enjoyed taking his wife Carolina to the casinos and eating out and visiting friends and family.  As the patriarch of the family there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his children or grandchildren.  He will be dearly missed. Leo was preceded in death by his parents Juan de la Cruz and Josefa Garcia, Sisters Celedonia Sena and Lenore Galvez and infant sister Emiliana.  Brothers Bernabe, Miguel, David and infant brother Gilberto. Son-in-Law Frank (Chipper) Gutierrez and Great-Grand Son Brandon Luke Trujillo. Father and Mother-In-Law Delfino and Tedorita Chacon, brothers-in-law Delfino Jr, Eddie and Peter Chacon. Leo is survived by his wife of 59 years Carolina Garcia.   His son Theodore Garcia and wife June; daughters Irene Lucero and husband Toby and Jeannie Gutierrez.  Very special and close sister-in-law’s Ernestina Garcia of Monte Vista Colorado and Eufemia Gallegos and husband Ben of Espanola, NM.   His grandchildren, Jaime, Ted (Cindy) Garcia, Nicole Lucero, Everly, Frankie and Antoinette Gutierrez and his great-grandchildren, Angelo and Alexis Garcia and their mother Anna Gallant and husband Eric, Josiah Gutierrez, Cody and Wyatt Martinez, Jillian Trujillo, Shauntae and Amarissa Quintana. Several brothers and sisters in-law, numerous nieces and nephews and friends. Public visitation will begin on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in the Sangre de Cristo Chapel of DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory with a rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ojo Caliente. Burial to follow at the Ojo Caliente Catholic Cemetery. Serving the family as pallbearers are Ted and Angelo Garcia, Frankie and Josiah Gutierrez, Martin and Bonifacio Garcia.  Honorary pallbearers are Jaime Garcia, Nicole Lucero, Everly and Antoinette Gutierrez, and all his great-grandchildren. The family of Leo Garcia has entrusted the care of their loved one to the DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Espanola Valley. 505-747-7477, www.devargasfuneral.com.

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