Tomasa (Verdugo) Garcia |
| Posted 2009-08-06 by Sharla |
| The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ Oct. 19, 1956, p. 1 When Mrs. Garcia Died Wickenburg Lost A Pioneer When Mrs. Pete Garcia died in Community Hospital at 10:30 o'clock Monday morning Wickenburg lost a real pioneer. Mrs. Garcia, the former Tomasa Verdugo, was born here March 7, 1886. She was married here in 1912 to the late Pete Garcia. Her five children were born here. And she was out of Arizona only twice in her 70 years - once when she went to Nogales, Mexico, and once when she visited relatives in California. When the Walnut Creek dam broke and took so many lives, she was only 4-year-old girl living beside the river at the point where the Monte Vista rodeo field is now located. Someone saved her life by carrying her up the hill to where the Monte Vista lodge now stands. Her late husband was also a native born Wickenburger and both were personal friends of Henry Wickenburg, our town's founder. It was her father-in-law, Ignacio Garcia, Sr., who donated the land on which the Wickenburg Elementary School, the Garcia Cemetery and St. Anthony's Church are located. He died in 1928. Rosary for Mrs. Garcia was conducted at the home of Bill Garcia, her son, at 8 o'clock Monday evening. Funeral services were in St. Anthony's Church, of which she was a member, at 8 o'clock Tuesday morning with Rev. D.F. O'Sullivan officiating. She was buried in Garcia Cemetery at 3 p.m. Tuesday with Father O'Sullivan conducting the graveside rites. Surviving are three sons, Bill and Gus of Wickenburg, Pete Jr., of Colton, Calif., and Fred of Los Angeles, and one daughter, Mrs. Amelia Padilla of Los Angeles. She left 15 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters; Mrs. Rita Bustos of Phoenix and Mrs Maria Gonzales of Los Angeles. Her husband died January 22, 1954. Her three surviving sisters-in-law are Mrs. Frances Hernandez of Wickenburg, Mrs. Chonita Burson of Hermosa Beach, Calif, and Gabriels Garcia of Taft. Calif. Mrs. Garcia's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Verdugo, died many years ago. Pallbearers were Bill Garcia,Jr., Barry McMillen, Frank Macias, Henry Molina, Coney Orosco and Adolph Garcia. (Obituary courtesy of Pat R) See Also: Find A Grave |
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