Carlos Garcia Jr Obituary

Carlos Rafael Garcia, Jr. , 61, passed away on October 2, 2023 in Pflugerville, TX. Carlos was born on June 13, 1962 to Carlos and Rosa Garcia in Borger, TXAt an early age, his parents instilled in him the value of hard work. As a teenager, he worked one summer in the sweltering heat of the Texas Panhandle pouring concrete for a construction company. That experience is what eventually led him to white collar work. At an early age, he learned to love shooting, football, and boxing. His father gave him his first rifle when he was five years old. By the time he enlisted in the Army in the early 1980's, he was already the best marksman in his unit. His primary deployment had him stationed two years in Frankfurt, Germany. There he developed a passion for good German beer and German food. Upon returning from the Army, he held a number of different jobs: as a beef packer for Iowa Beef Packers in Amarillo, then working a number of different positions for Phillips Petroleum in Borger, finally going back to college for some business classes and choosing a career as an independent computer consultant in the 1990's. It was while living and working in Amarillo, TX that he met his future wife Shannon. Carlos is preceded in death by his father, Carlos Rafael Garcia Sr, as well as a number of beloved uncles and aunts. Carlos is survived by his wife Shannon, his mother Rosa Garcia of Arlington, sister Martha Lanham and her husband Larry of Arlington, nephews Zackary and Kenneth Lanham of Arlington, nieces Mackenzie Lanham and Duyen Phan of Arlington, as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. Who Was Carlos Rafael Garcia, Jr. Who was Carlos Rafael Garcia, Jr? For starters, he hated being called Junior!Carlos was many things to many people: Son, brother, husband, nephew, cousin, neighbor, friend. He was a man of strong faith, strong convictions, and strong opinions - all of which he freely, vocally and firmly shared with anyone and everyone. He was a straight shooter who would rather someone just come out and speak their mind rather than tip toe around a subject in an attempt to spare his feelings. He always said what he thought and meant what he said and he expected others to offer him the same courtesy. He was a good man with a huge heart. He was one of those people who would literally give you the shirt off his back if you needed it - even if it were his only shirt. Two small examples of his generosity and kindness toward others: First - He spent two years as a volunteer ESL instructor in Round Rock Texas. Second - he volunteered to do computer/data entry to assist loved ones to find each other in shelters after Hurricane Katrina. He spent several days and nights at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin typing in a seemingly endless list of victims searching for each other. His personal priorities in life were God, family, country - in that order. He was always strong, independent and self-sufficient. He loved life and that was apparent to everyone who met him. He loved to grill and barbecue, especially for large family gatherings. loved spending time with family and friends, loved spending time with his dogs, loved hunting, fishing, cars, and sports, just to name a few of his passions. His favorite sport was football and he loved rooting for his favorite team: The Dallas Cowboys. An avid history buff, his favorite television channel was the History Channel and, in spite of being dyslexic, he loved reading about history - everything from ancient Egypt to World War II. He loved spending time in spirited conversations about religion, politics, current events, history, and sports with anyone who had a couple of hours to spare. Patriotic to a fault, he proudly served 3 1/2 years in the U. S. Army during the Cold War. He believed in America as envisioned by the Founding Fathers and said his oath of service didn't end when his time in the Army ended. That oath didn't have an expiration date. Carlos never met a stranger. He could strike up a conversation with just about anyone and soon become fast friends. It didn't hurt that he had a great sense of humor and a quick wit. He could always come up with a joke on the spur of the moment. He literally has friends all over the world, from Australia, to Germany and France, to Canada, Brazil, and of course the U. S. Although he will be greatly missed, his family and friends are forever grateful for the memories of love, laughter, and devotion Carlos leaves with them. Flowers may be sent to Beck Funeral Home at 4765 Priem Ln in Pflugerville Texas. Arrangements under the direction ofBeck Funeral Home4765 Priem Ln. Pflugerville, Texas 78660512/251-3500