Memorial for Theodore Anthony Garcia
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Born in Durango, CO on Oct. 17, 1962
Departed on Jul. 24, 2010 and resided in Durango, CO.
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| Mass of Christian Burial: |
Thursday, Jul. 29, 2010
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| Cemetery: |
Greenmount Cemetery
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Please click on the links above for locations, times, maps, and directions.
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Native Durangoan Theodore Anthony Garcia died Saturday, July 24, 2010, at his home. He was 47.
Known as "Ted," he was born to Claudine and Francis Garcia on Oct. 17, 1962, at Mercy Hospital in Durango. He grew up in Durango and attended Park Elementary and Miller Middle schools before graduating from Durango High School in 1980. He grew up on the south side of Durango and made lasting friendships in the neighborhood.
After graduation, Mr. Garcia enlisted in the Navy and served from 1980 to 1984 on the Admiral's flagship, the USS Cochrane, a guided missile destroyer. He was deployed to the western Pacific Ocean, where he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and Yasaka, Japan. Mr. Garcia received an honorable discharge with the rank of petty officer third class.
He returned home and worked briefly at his family's business, Francisco's Restaurante y Cantina, before attending the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vt. He graduated with honors and was awarded two prestigious internships at the Flagstaff House in Boulder and The Four Seasons in San Antonio.
Upon completion of his internships, Mr. Garcia returned home to join his family in running the restaurant, where he was the executive chef and general manager for the last 22 years.
In 1992, he met his future wife, Suzanne, who was a hostess at Francisco's. The couple married in the summer of 1997 at Electra Lake, where Mr. Garcia's parents have owned a cabin for many years.
"As beautiful as the wedding was," his family wrote, "Suzanne would often joke that the only reason they were married there was because Ted planned to slip away from the ceremony to do some fishing in between the festivities."
While Mr. Garcia spent much of his life at work, his true love was his family. Not a day passed when he didn't speak to at least one of his parents.
He was also a devoted husband and father who would rather spend time with his "girls" and son, Roger, than anyone else. They spent their time fishing, camping, boating and exploring Southwest Colorado in his red Jeep.
"Ted adored his children and would make chocolate chip cookies for them (using his mother's recipe) every Monday, so they would have warm cookies when they came home from school," his family wrote. "The girls and Roger often remarked that he was 'the best daddy in the world.'" He would often surprise his wife with flowers, beautiful jewelry and antique trinkets, and even a beloved Labrador puppy named Cisco.
Mr. Garcia is survived by his wife of 13 years, Suzanne Garcia, of Durango; daughters Claudia Ilamae Garcia and Julia Jean Garcia, both of Durango; son, Roger Andrew Garcia, of Durango; parents, Francis and Claudine Garcia, of Durango; brother, Francis M. "Skip" Garcia, of Durango; and a niece and nephew.
A private family rosary will be recited the morning of Thursday, July 29, 2010, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 254 East Fifth Ave. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m., also Thursday at Sacred Heart. Burial will take place immediately afterward at Greenmount Cemetery.
Condolences are appreciated and may be sent to the Garcia Family, 1000 Perins Canyon Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
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This Memorial Obituary provided by
Hood Mortuary Chapel
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