Roberto P Garcia

March 27, 1927 - July 12, 2020

The Patriarch of the Garcia Family has passed, gone on to rest in the arms of our heavenly father. Roberto (Robert) Garcia Sr. passed peacefully at home surrounded by those who loved and cared for him on Sunday, July 12, 2020. He was born March 27, 1927 to Maria Victoria and Martin Garcia in Encinal, Texas and was raised in Laredo, Texas where he lived until he ventured out to seek work at the age of 16. He found work in a small ranch in El Quemado, Texas where he met the love of his life, Elena (Helen) Crowder. They married on October 30, 1944 and moved to Washington in 1946 where they decided to settle and raise a family. They had eight children, five boys and three girls. Together they worked side by side with the majority of the local agriculture families in the Yakima Valley. As lead farm laborers and as a trucking owner and operator they forged lifelong relationships with farm owners as well as multitudes of families of farmworkers until 1989 when they both retired. In their retirement they opened the Eastside Laundromat in Toppenish. Roberto served his community in many leadership roles such as a member of the Knights of Columbus, Fraternal Order of Eagles and as an usher at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, among many others. Roberto loved life until the end. He enjoyed watching western movies and wrestling, listening to music and dancing, traveling and camping. He had a great sense of humor. Anyone who sat to chat with him was most certainly in for a good laugh. He will be remembered for his leadership, his hard work, his commitment and dedication to the land he so proudly worked, and his love for his wife and family. He is survived by 26 grandchildren, 43 great-grandchildren, numerous great-great-grandchildren and his children, Robert & Gina Garcia (Zillah), Romelia & Santiago Herrera (Eagle Pass), Francisco Garcia (Yakima), Ricardo Garcia (Toppenish), Jose Alfredo Garcia (Yakima), Maria Esther & Chano Perez (Zillah), Ramiro Garcia (Yakima), Esmeralda & Carlos Olivera (San Diego, CA), Brother Bernardino (Bernie) Alvarado (Toppenish). He is preceded in death by his wife, Elena (Helen) Garcia, and siblings, Daniel Garcia, Francisco Garcia and Juanita Alvarado Mendez. The family would like to give a special thank you to his caregivers Maria De Jesus Hernandez and Dr. Kyle Hisey. The viewing will be held at Heggies Colonial Funeral Home on Thursday, July 16, from 9:00am-11:30am. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Resurrection Catholic Church in Zillah at 12:00noon. Concluding services and burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery at 1:00pm.