Bertha Castorena Garcia

Bertha Castorena Garcia, 92, entered into her heavenly home on October 13, 2022, concluding a long and vibrant life saturated with friends, family, love, and kindness. She was many things to many people: daughter, sister, friend, comadre, prima, mom, aunt, grandma, great-grandma, and even an early-childhood illustration by a great-grandchild offered her the title “Goddess of Loving”; her reach was truly profound and wide.

Bertha’s tremendous life began on December 14, 1929. She was the fifth of six children, born to Teodoro and Adela Salazar Castorena in Del Rio, Texas. Her life, spanning nearly a century, saw a whirlwind of change: born weeks after the Stock Market Crash of 1929, she lived through the Great Depression, the rise of Hollywood’s Golden Age, World War II, The Civil Rights Movement, mankind’s first footsteps on the moon, the fall of the Berlin Wall, sixteen presidential administrations, and the technological revolution of the Internet Age. Through it all, she enriched the world through her shining example, day by day.

After moving to San Angelo, Texas with her family at the age of six, Bertha remained a lifelong resident of the city. On May 25, 1947, she married her husband of fifty-seven years, Arnulfo A. Garcia, with whom she would raise a family of three children. In 1965, Bertha became one of the first thirty-seven San Angeloans hired by Ethicon to work at its newly opened plant, a career which would span twenty-seven years.

Bertha exemplified love in all that she did, placing the highest priority on family and living her life as a devout Catholic. She always managed, however, to find a little (or a lot of) fun along the way. Having a beer or margarita with Aunt Bertha was certain to be a good time, and, even at 89, Grandma could be found on the dance floor celebrating special occasions with loved ones. Her wit was sharp and subtle, and her ability to deliver a joke with a straight face and dead-pan delivery was unrivaled. She found sincere joy in every family gathering, traveling across the country to witness the fruits of her sacrifices via the opportunities and successes of her children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and more.

Bertha now begins her heavenly journey to be with those who began the path before her. Siblings preceding her in death include Alfredo Castorena, Oralia Villarreal, Enedina Gomez, Consuelo Castorena, and Claudio Castorena. We are certain she is overjoyed for the chance to be reunited with her husband Arnulfo Garcia, daughter Cindy Cano, and son Arnold Garcia Jr. and wife Vida Marcet Garcia.

Bertha is survived by her daughter Becky Garcia Torres and husband Alfonso Ybarra Torres (San Angelo, TX), grandchildren Jennifer Garcia Jetton and husband Andrew Jetton (Milwaukee, WI), Laura Geisler and Kurt Geisler (Dallas, TX), Adam A Torres and husband Michael Schreier (Denver, CO), Maj. Teodoro Garcia (USA) and wife Capt. Rachel Garcia (USA) (Colorado Springs, CO), Andrew Torres (San Angelo, TX), Patricia Cano (Corpus Christi, TX), grandson-of-the-heart Clinton Roebuck and wife Allyson Roebuck (San Angelo, TX), great-grandchildren Erika Geisler, Emily, Charles, and Mathew Jetton, Alex, Ella, and Emma Garcia, great-granddaughter of the heart Georgia Roebuck, and granddog Moppit (San Angelo, TX).

She is also survived by son-in-law Manuel Cano (Corpus Christi, TX), sisters-in-law Marcelina Wozniak (Laurel, MD) and Elaine Davila (Wichita Falls, TX), numerous nieces and nephews from both sides of the family whom she loved dearly, and many of her children’s and grandchildren’s friends whom she considered her own. A debt of gratitude is owed to Bertha’s nieces Linda Gonzales, Chris Hogeda, Ernie Villarreal, and Rosie Garcia, as well as daughter-of-the-heart Dr. Elisabeth Noelke, who helped to keep Bertha company, run errands for her, drive her to appointments, and make sure she stayed fed when her kids were working, traveling, or were otherwise unavailable. Additionally, the family would like to extend a heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Viki Forlano for the loving care of Bertha through the years and to the nurses and aides at Kindred Hospice, who helped make her final days peaceful and comfortable.

She will be sorely missed by the countless lives she has impacted. Bertha used to say she was like a sponge, soaking people in and never letting go, but the truth is that it was more than reciprocated: her love and kindness soaked into our hearts and will remain there forever. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.johnsons-funeralhome.com for the Garcia family.