Julio A. Garcia - Death and Legacy

Death and Legacy

Garcia had a history of diabetes. He died in Laredo Medical Center of complications from pneumonia and a staphylococcus infection.

In addition to his wife and two surviving children and law partners, he was survived by three grandchildren, Zoraida, Julio, III, and Benjamin Garcia; a sister, Laura Leticia Garcia Magnon, and his mother-in-law, Esperanza Flores. In 1964, Laura Magnon (1937 - 2012), a biology teacher, became a member of the founding faculty of J. W. Nixon High School in Laredo; the science building there is named in her honor.

Services for Julio Garcia were held on October 21, 2008, at San Agustin Cathedral in the historic downtown plaza. A "Who's Who of Laredo" was in attendance. Banker Jorge Verduzco declared: "God gives us His love. He lends us His love. Thank you, dear Lord, for lending us Julio." Father Dominic Francis Peridans, previously with the Congregation of St. John in Laredo, presided over the mass. Father Francis described Garcia as "a rock of strength for so many."

Interment was in the family plot of Calvary Catholic Cemetery off Saunders Street. Pallbearers included Judge Jesus "Chuy" Garza and DA Joe Rubio.

In an interview with the Laredo Morning Times upon Garcia's death, outgoing DA Joe Rubio recalled his predecessor as being one who was available to "help out" in both the legal and political realms. " young lawyers who came back to Webb County to practice advice, financial support. He'd help us get started, dozens of us. . . . He not only had a legal mind, but he was a great trial attorney. He had the ability to connect with the jury. He could explain complicated theories in everyday terms. And his work ethic was tremendous. Nobody was going to outwork him in preparing for a trial. That same work ethic applied to politics. When he wanted to support someone for public office, he was relentless in preparing a political campaign."

U.S. District Judge George P. Kazen, who grew up as Garcia's neighbor, recalled him as "a high-intensity kind of guy. . . . Certain people are giants of their profession, and by definition, they are just a select few. was one of them."