John Garcia
John Garcia

Obituary of John Anthony Garcia

MR. JOHN ANTHONY GARCIA, JR., 93, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on June 14, 2022.  He was born in Pasadena, TX, on November 8, 1928, to the late John Anthony Garcia, Sr. and to Soledad Solis Garcia, both from Houston, TX.  Mr. Garcia served in the US Army Air Corps which was later named the US Air Force in 1947.  He served during the Korean War where he was injured in combat and was honorably discharged and medically retired.

Mr. Garcia began working with the US Government, General Services Administration (GSA) and promoted to the grade of GS-13.  He served in several locations in the Western Pacific Region, stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he met and later married his surviving wife of 41 years, KAZUKO (KAY) KINUO GARCIA in 1981.  

He transferred to Tucson, Arizona where he was the Chief Custodian Officer for the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center at Davis Monthan Air Force Base. He was responsible for reallocating military aircraft for civilian usage. He provided numerous air assets to law enforcement and firefighting agencies throughout the US.

He always enjoyed sharing his stories and experiences during his tenure in the military, and his knowledge of military aircraft.  He retired from GSA in 1990.

After retirement, he worked as a part-time employee with the Tucson Unified School District for the next 22 years as a school crossing guard.  During his tenure, he watched many children grow up and was inspirational to many who would come back and visit him.

Mr. Garcia is survived by his children, Cheryl Lynne Garcia Nielsen, (Tracy Nielsen), and John Anthony Garcia Jr. (Elizabeth Garcia) and grandchildren, Connor Nielsen, Sofia Rose Nielsen, and Kayla (Ramirez) Garcia, Cassidy Garcia, Joseph Garcia, Anne Garcia, and his great grandchildren Adalyn and Christian Ramirez. 

Mr. Garcia is survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins, located throughout California and Texas.  He was preceded in death by his brother, Gabriel, sisters Emma Uresti and Manuela (Mamie) Garcia.

Mr. Garcia was well known for his generous financial contributions to several non-profit organizations and to the Catholic Church.  He was a member of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Tucson.  He was a member of the American Legion Post 36.

 He will also be remembered for his love of dancing, hiking in the Tucson area and travelling in his RV throughout North America. He had traveled all over the world.  He was responsible for relinquishing numerous aircraft artifacts to the Pima Air Museum and to the movie industry.

Mr. Garcia’s funeral service will be held on July 22, 2022, at Bring Funeral Home, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ at 9 am, and burial will take place at Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 15950 N. Luckett Rd. Marana, Az, at 11 am.   

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Friday
22
July

Scripture Service

9:00 am - 10:00 am
Friday, July 22, 2022
BRING'S Broadway Chapel
6910 East Broadway Boulevard
Tucson, Arizona, United States
(520) 296-7193
Friday
22
July

Burial

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Friday, July 22, 2022
Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery at Marana
15950 North Luckett Road
Marana, Arizona, United States
(520) 638-4869
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