Leo Gilbert Garcia of Ventura, California, passed into eternal life on Thursday, September 16, 2021, with his wife and eldest daughter at his bedside. He was 89.
Born on May 10, 1932, in Santa Paula, California, Leo was the son of Ruth and Tony Garcia. As a child, he lived several years in Santa Barbara before moving to Ventura. Leo was a graduate of Holy Cross School, Ventura High School, Ventura College, and the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. He worked as an accountant for the Curtis-Wright Corporation before serving in the United States Postal Service in Ventura for 27 years. Leo also served his nation in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.
Leo loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting in his youth and fishing throughout his life. He regularly took family trips to the Eastern Sierra Nevada, where he taught his children his brand of fishing, on stretches of the Walker River along Highway 395. On these trips, Leo also had an eye for spotting deer, antelope, and other game on the terrain, and he relished hearing about his brother’s hunting trips and even the occasional news story about bears.
Leo loved spending time with family, whether in larger family gatherings for barbeques or holiday parties or on smaller occasions such as going for Sunday drives along the coast to Santa Barbara or points around and above Ojai. He loved his grandchildren and attended many Irish Dancing events, baseball games, and soccer matches. He enjoyed family time watching movies, especially his favorite genres, Westerns, war epics, and good slapstick (e.g., comedies with Don Knotts).
Leo was a devout Catholic and active parishioner of the Mission Basilica San Buenaventura. After his retirement, he served as a custodian for the Mission. He was active on the Holy Cross School Alumni Committee, and he regularly volunteered for festivals that benefited Holy Cross School and, during his children’s attendance, Saint Bonaventure High School.
Gentle, humble, and patient, Leo was the consummate family man. He was a dutiful son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather. He and his wife Rose Marie enjoyed over 62 years of marriage, rejoicing together in good times and persevering together during challenging times. Leo and Rose Marie raised four children: Anne Marie (Ventura), Gregory (San Francisco), Joanne (Oxnard), and Stephen (Sacramento).
In addition to his wife and children, Leo is survived by five siblings – Manuel Garcia (Long Beach), Pat Watts (Sacramento), Anita Pulido (Carpinteria), Stephen Garcia (Ventura), and Ronald Garcia (Menlo Park) – and four grandchildren – Leah Beppler (Denver), Casey Beppler (San Francisco), Julie Beppler (Hermosa Beach), and Sam Beppler (San Diego).
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, October 23, at 10:00AM at the Mission Basilica San Buenaventura. It will be preceded by a Rosary on Friday, October 22, at 5:00PM at JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, 757 East Main Street, Ventura.