Maria Santos Torrez Garcia

María Santos Tórrez García passed away peacefully in her home on February 8, 2022, at the age of 98 surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 65 years, Alfredo P. García, Jr.

A native Austinite, María graduated from Austin High School and the University of Texas at Austin, where she was named a Bluebonnet Belle all four years. In 1947 at UT, she met and married the love of her life, Alfredo. María began her professional career as assistant librarian at the Latin American Library of the University of Texas at Austin. She subsequently spent several years as an elementary school teacher and later became an associate at the Institute of Latin American Studies and with the Center for Mexican American Studies under famed folklorist and university professor emeritus, Américo Paredes. María concluded her career at the University of Texas at Austin in 1993 as an associate in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost. María was active in community affairs since her student days at the University when she taught non-English speaking preschoolers in their native language, a method that was later formalized as the bilingual education program. In addition to raising five children, she found time to serve in the American GI Forum and in LULAC. Along with her husband, she was a founding member of National IMAGE, Inc., an organization dedicated to enhancing employment and economic opportunities for all individuals.

María was a devout Catholic and dedicated parishioner of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as well as a motivational mentor to many. She is survived by her five children: Suzanne Guerrero and husband Alfredo Hernández, Mario García and wife Elsa, Albert García and wife Dawn, Marc García, and Marisa García-Krug; grandchildren: Lynette Guerrero and husband Rick Rousseau, Suzanne Pekarek and husband Rob, Claudia Romney and husband Brett, Laura Shields and husband Pete, and Victoria Hooker and husband Jake; great-grandchildren: Cole and Miles Romney, Adrienne, Mason, and Emmett Shields, and Jacob Hooker. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Mila Salinas and Norma Aten and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express immense gratitude to her devoted and long-time caregivers:

Darlene Mar, Yoshie Takeuchi, Sarah Marshall, and Pilar Torres.

Funeral services will be private, and a celebration of life will be held at a later date.