Frank R. Garza was 94 and would have been 95 on June 10, 2020.He was a World War II Army veteran. He passed away peacefully on May 7, 2020, surrounded by his family and the caring staff at Santa Maria Care Center, who truly cared about him and his family. We are forever grateful. He was born June 10,1925, to Fred and Cliatilda Romo Garza in Floresville, Texas.

He is predeceased by his sons Frank Steven Garza and Frank Lopez, his grandson Thomas Kingsley, and great granddaughter Crystal Gutierrez. He was also preceded in death by his five brothers and three sisters. He is survived by his daughter Belinda Christine Clark, her husband John Clark and her sons Sean LeDuc and Jesse Clark, all of Connecticut. He is also survived by his stepdaughter Sara Illenstein who he raised and was his daughter. (She was there with him at the center five days a week, having breakfast with him and getting him ready for the day), and her husband Bob Illenstein and her children Frank Lopez, Angelica Lopez and Jamaica Daniel, and with her grandson Junior Lopez.

He also leaves behind his most favorite person, his goddaughter Barbara (Sugar) Gaitan, whom he loved very much. His gift was my childhood friend Nikki Smith who would visit him and bring him hotdogs at the center. Frank was a cook, chef and in his younger days was a lightweight professional boxer. He enjoyed camping, fishing, jogging, working out with weights and four to seven-miles daily walks well into his 90th birthday. BBQing was his love, along with cooking and making wine. He leaves behind many nieces and nephews. I will miss my dad every day, but I do get a smile when I think of him and the charm he had, and which the ladies loved. He is now with his sons, grandchildren, parents, and all his siblings having a great time together.