Pedro “Pete” Garcia
March 22, 1948 – August 3, 2026

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Pedro “Pete” Garcia, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, veteran, businessman, mentor, and friend. Pete entered into the presence of his Lord at the age of 78 after a courageous fight, surrounded by the family he loved so deeply.

Born on March 22, 1948, in Fremont, Ohio, Pete spent his childhood in nearby Sandusky before moving his family to Texas in 1984. It was there that he built not only a successful landscaping business and invested in real estate, but also a life defined by hard work, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to those he loved.

At the age of nineteen, Pete answered the call to serve his country after being drafted into the United States Army. He entered active duty on December 28, 1967, and served honorably until December 18, 1970, rising to the rank of Sergeant (E-5). As a Field Wireman with the legendary 101st Airborne Division, Pete served in the Republic of Vietnam from May 22, 1968, to May 20, 1969, faithfully carrying out his duties during one of the most difficult periods of the Vietnam War.

For his courage, dedication, and honorable service, Pete was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He also earned the Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with the M-16 rifle and the Sharpshooter Marksmanship Qualification Badge with the M-14 rifle.

Though he seldom spoke about his experiences in Vietnam, those years shaped the man he would become. The discipline, resilience, quiet strength, and unwavering determination forged in military service became the foundation upon which he built the rest of his life. He approached every challenge as a soldier—with courage, grit, and a steadfast refusal to quit.

The Army taught him how to lead, but his greatest command would become his own family. For the rest of his life, he served them with the same devotion, strength, and sense of duty that he had shown while serving his country.

On December 20, 1975, Pete married the love of his life, Barbara Garcia. Together they built a marriage that spanned over fifty years and a family that became the center of his world.

Pete is survived by his devoted wife, Barbara Jo Garcia; his children, son Pedro Garcia and wife Lizabeth; daughter Antonia Gonzalez and husband Cuahutémoc (Memo); and son Miguel Garcia and wife Lindsey.

He also leaves behind the grandchildren he loved dearly: Faith Garcia, Courtney Garcia, Chloe Garcia, Logan Gonzalez, Sofia Gonzalez, Alexandria Gonzalez, Benjamin Garcia, and Harper Garcia, along with his brand new great-granddaughter, Kamayah Chance.

He is also survived by his brothers Donaciano Garcia, Miguel Garcia, and Juan Jose Garcia, his sisters Maria Alicia Nunez and Carmen Mireles, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and lifelong friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Donaciano and Antonia Garcia and sisters Angelita Ortiz and Margarita Garcia

Pete believed love was something you demonstrated, not merely something you said. If he loved you, he invested in you. Sometimes that investment came through encouragement. Sometimes it came through correction. Whether you were one of his own children, a grandchild, a niece, a nephew, a cousin, or simply someone who needed a father figure, Pete treated you like family. He loved deeply, expected your best, and believed you were capable of more than you often believed about yourself. Those who knew him respected him not because he demanded it, but because he earned it.

He often reminded his children that they were “like the fingers on a hand. Separately they are just fingers, but together they make a fist—and a fist can punch through a wall.”

That simple lesson became one of the foundations of the family he built: stay together, stand together, and there is very little you cannot overcome.

To know Pete was to know work. He simply didn’t know how to quit. Long after the sun had gone down, he was still finishing projects, working in the yard, solving problems, or planning the next investment. He taught his children that honest work was honorable work and that character is forged through discipline, perseverance, and responsibility. Whether you were a son or a daughter, you were going to learn how to work because, to Pete, that was part of becoming an adult.

His passion for business was matched only by his passion for family. He especially loved real estate, and conversations about investments could last for hours. More often than not, those conversations turned into spirited debates. Yet those debates became some of his family’s favorite memories—not because everyone agreed, but because everyone knew they were born from his experience, conviction, and desire to teach.

Even at seventy-five years old, Pete continued proving that retirement simply wasn’t in his vocabulary. After hiring a tree crew to remove several large trees, his son arrived home to find the crew standing safely on the ground while Pete himself was nearly forty feet up in the tree with a chainsaw. The ladder only reached halfway, there was no safety harness, and the only thing tied off was the chainsaw. Looking at his mother in disbelief, his son asked why she had allowed him to climb that high. With a smile she simply replied, “He don’t listen to me.”

That story tells you almost everything you need to know about Pete Garcia.

He was tough.

He was fearless.

He was stubborn.

He was resourceful.

He was a leader.

And he had absolutely no quit in him.

More than anything he built, however, Pete’s greatest legacy was the people he shaped. He taught by example that a man provides for his family, keeps his word, finishes what he starts, and stands firm when life becomes difficult. His influence reached far beyond his own children. Many cousins, family members, and friends found in Pete the father figure they never had. He welcomed them, challenged them, corrected them when necessary, and loved them as though they were his own.

Above every earthly accomplishment stood what mattered most to him: his relationship with God and the family the Lord entrusted to him. His greatest investment was never measured in dollars or property, but in the lives he helped shape.

The lessons he leaves behind are simple, timeless, and unforgettable:

Work hard.

Keep your word.

Take care of your family.

Stand together.

Never quit.

Pete’s hands built businesses, landscapes, homes, opportunities, and dreams. But his greatest work was building people. That legacy lives on in every child, grandchild, family member, and friend who carries forward the lessons he taught—not only through his words, but through the example of a life faithfully lived.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7

⸻

Funeral Services

Family and friends are invited to celebrate the life of Pedro “Pete” Garcia.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at:

Williams & Lucas Funeral Home
517 N. Sylvania Avenue
Fort Worth, Texas 76111

Following the service, all are invited to join the family for a Celebration of Life beginning at 5:00 p.m. at:

American Legion Post 655
2817 Carson Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76117

A Military Honors and Committal Service will be held the following morning at the Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery.

Thursday, August 13, 2026
11:15 a.m.

Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery
2000 Mountain Creek Parkway
Dallas, Texas 75211

Family and friends who wish to participate in the funeral procession to the National Cemetery are asked to arrive at Williams & Lucas Funeral Home by 9:00 a.m. The procession will depart promptly at 9:30 a.m. to ensure arrival in time for the scheduled burial service.



Dad,

Thank you for teaching us how to work, how to provide, how to stand our ground, and how to never quit. We didn’t always agree, and sometimes our conversations or business meetings turned into debates that turned into arguments that could last for hours. Today, I’d give anything to have just one more business meeting with you.

You taught us that five fingers become a fist when they come together. We promise you this—we’ll stay together. We’ll take care of Mom. We’ll love our families. We’ll keep building on the foundation you laid.

Rest now, Dad. We love you. Your work is finished. We’ll take it from here.