Celia R. Garza

Celia Rivas Garza, 84 years old, of Corpus Christi and more recently Victoria, died peacefully at Citizens Hospital in Victoria on Tuesday morning, October 1, 2014, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease. The only daughter of Josefa and Pablo Rivas, Sr., Celia was born in Yorktown, Texas, on April 12, 1930, and grew up on the Rivas ranch in Santa Elena, Texas.

After graduating from Texas Women's University with a Degree in Sociology, she began a teaching career of more than 50 years, mostly in Corpus Christi with the Corpus Christi Independent School District.

She married Osbaldo "O.C." Garza from Sharyland in 1951 and gave birth to two daughters, Diana (Tom) Chandler of Ingleside, Texas (who died in 2012) and Velma Garza of Corpus Christi; two sons, Osbaldo "O.C." (Marylynn) of Victoria, and David (Julie) of Dallas. She has three grandchildren, Karin (Chad) Kunkel of San Antonio, Ethan and Celina Garza of Victoria; and three great-grandchildren, Bryanna, Megan, and Sarah Kunkel of Garland. She is survived by many nieces, nephews and friends in Corpus Christi and the Valley.

She was very independent and intelligent, but also had a great sense of humor. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was a Catholic for more than 60 years and served as a CCD teacher for many years. She taught her children to lead Christian lives and especially to love their families. She cherished her time with all her family, her special pets, and never met a stranger she didn't like.

Celia was preceded in death by her parents, all her older brothers, Daniel, Pedro, Pablo, Mariano, Wenceslado and Conrado, her divorced husband, Osbaldo, and her eldest daughter, Diana.

A Catholic Rosary will be recited at 10:30 am Saturday morning, October 11, 2014, at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Victoria (402 S Main St, Victoria, Texas 77901). A Memorial service will follow at 11:00 am. Her ashes will be interred later that day at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Corpus Christi (8200 Old Brownsville Road, Corpus Christi, Texas 78415) at 2:30pm after a short graveside service. A reception and light snacks will be available after the interment.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association San Antonio & South Texas National Chapter, 7400 Louis Pasteur, Suite 200, San Antonio, TX 78229.

Words of comfort may be shared at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.