Gilberto Arturo “Art” Garcia, 61

CENTER — Art Garcia 61, of Center, Colorado passed away March 12, 2020, at the Rio Grande Hospital in Del Norte, Colorado surrounded by his wife, daughter and sister.
Art was born in Farmington, New Mexico to Juan T. Garcia and Tonita E. Garcia on Sept. 02, 1958. He went to school at Sargent High School where he left a lasting impression and great memories playing football and wrestling. He was small but quick on his feet. On his senior year he enlisted to the Army, transferred schools and graduated at Center High School in 1978.
Soon after graduating, he married Leslie Box with a son on the way. He was honorably discharged from the Army to be with his son who passed. In this timeframe he learned the welding trait, went through the loss of his son, a divorce, and did boxing with his brothers Jesse and Phil. Throughout the years he did hard labor as a kid, worked with welding creating horse trailers, flowerpot holders, buildings. He did many stucco jobs with his brother Phil which included the St. John Baptist Catholic Church in La Garita, roofing for several years and did hard labor in the warehouses long as he could. He loved to jam on his guitar. With this talent, he would be a part of St. Francis Catholic Church Spanish choir group with Frieda Martinez and several others before her passing.
He met the love of his wife Josefina Guzman in 1984 and were married July 19,1985. In their unity they had 3 beautiful children Jessica, Gilverto and Jasmine. Enjoyed becoming grandparents and loved every moment of it.
Art is survived by his wife of 34 years Josefina Garcia, one son Gilverto Garcia, Monte Vista, two daughters Jasmine Garcia, Monte Vista and Jessica ( Daniel ) Soto, Monte Vista; grandchildren, Alyssia Soto , Joshua Soto, Tahlya Soto all of  Monte Vista, Daniel Garcia, Joseph Garcia, and Aleynna Garcia all of Walsenburg; one brother Feliberto Garcia, Del Norte; six sisters, Tillie Garcia, Center, Jenny Zamora, Del Norte, Lorraine ( Wayne ) Madrill, Colorado Springs, Inez Pacheco (Rick Santistevan ), Pueblo, Eileen Garcia, Monte Vista and Bebe ( Randy ) Archuleta, El Rito, New Mexico. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his son Juanito Garcia, his parents Juan & Tonita Garcia, brothers Jesse and Michael Garcia, sister Virginia Garcia, as well as sister-in-law Eulalia Gutierrez, and mother-in-law Maria Refugio Gomez.
A vigil service with Recitation of the Rosary will be held Friday, March 20,2020 at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Monte Vista, Colorado. A Mass of the Resurrection will be Saturday, March 21, 2020, at 10:00 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Monte Vista Cemetery in Monte Vista, Colorado. All services will be private and just for family members as church rules are in effect. Arrangements are in care of Strohmayer’s Funeral Home.