Name: Resthaven/Carr-Tenney Mortuary & Memorial Gardens
Address: Phoenix, AZ

My Father, How I Knew Him

Exodus 20:12
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

On behalf of my family, I want to thank everyone here today.  Thanks for taking the time to accompany our family through our loss.

I want to pay tribute to the man that I first fell in love with and forever considered my #1 Hero for his bravery against all the odds in life.

My father taught us that we need to seek laughter in every situation.  Please don't be offended if I crack a laugh here and there, it will actually make me feel better if you laugh with me.

My Father had a dry sense of humour.  As my mother would say, a VERY dry sense.  He would make up his own jokes about everyday occurrences.  The most funny thing about his jokes was that he was his own best fan.  He would laugh the hardest.  We would laugh with him because he was laughing so hard at himself, not necessarily at the joke itself.

My father had a knack for giving a single word a whole lot of meaning.  Those who knew him well will recognise the following words in spanish:

My brother Ben could probably say these better than I, but my youngest brother is very shy.  So here it goes:

SUELTA
CARAMBA
CARNAL/A
CLARINETES
MASTIQUE
TIBURCIO
FEDERICO

My father was always interested in numerology.  Every important date in his live ended in God numbers.  I became interested in what his birth date meant in numerology.

May 19, 1939 was a Friday and it was the 139th day of the year 1939. 

The calender this year is exactly the same as in the year 1939!!  My father came full circle in his life.

In the Jewish calender the year is 5777.  I mention the Jewish calender because at the age my father was 57 he was nursing my Mother through menopause.  When he was 77, my mother was nursing him.

My father lived exactly 28,433 days.  He witnessed 963 full moons.

My father's Life Path number is 1.

It represents initiative, potential and singularity. He was born a leader. He insisted on his right to make up his own mind to the end; he demanded freedom of thought and action.

My father was born to Hermenegildo and Amelia; humble farmers in Rancho de Porvenir, Chihuahua, México

My father's siblings included 6 brothers and 3 sisters.

My father is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his daughter Liz and four sons: David, Jacob, Ruben and Benjamin.  One granddaughter Paola and three grandsons: David III, Kevin and Alberto

My father was a self-taught man.  The highest grade completed was the 6th grade.  Aside from those limitations however, these are just a few of the many trades I can remember my father performing during my life knowing him:

Military Police
Mechanics
Plummer
Carpenter
Bricklayer
Chef
Janitor
Machinist

The trade my father most enjoyed being was an evangelical minister and preacher of the end time  message.

My father took great pride in the preparation of his sermons and the visual aides used in many of his  teachings were manually hand created by himself.

My father began preaching in the Methodist church in 1956.  When he moved to Mexico City in 1957 he joined the Pentecostal church.  He later converted to the Apostolic faith where he was ordained as a youth minister and met his lovely wife whom he was married to for 49 years.  My father was one of the pioneers that brought the message of the hour to Mexico City.  It was the end time message that lead my father to relocate his family to Phoenix, AZ in 1976.

When I asked my father what he considered to be his greatest accomplishments in life, these were it:

Being a Father
Once saved up to 8K, he said this with big round green eyes.
His Missionary work to: Seul Korea / Tokyo Japan / Mexico / USA 
Becoming a USA citizen and got a certification as an A/C technician.

Favorite Scriptures:
Mal 4:5
Luke 17:30
Rev 10:7

His tip on public speaking:  Be filled with the Holy Ghost - It ain't got no jitters!

My father enjoyed the following sports:

Basketball
Bike riding
Handball
Soccer
Weight Lifting
Boxing,  just got once on the ring and never again!  He trained and trained to get on that ring.  He really thought he would like this sport.  My dad's words on this were " I received more than I gave CARNALA and I told myself this is not the sport for me".

My father was a lover of life.  If all I had to use one word that could fully describe my dad's life it would be:

PROVIDER

This one word encompassed how my dad felt about everything that mattered, which was family and religion.

In my dad's own words, I think I've said a whole lot so I will leave you with this thought:

We are comforted in the  knowledge that physical death is not the end of life but the beginning of the real existence.

Liz, our heartfelt sympathy goes to you and your family. We hope all of your happy memories help you through this very difficult and trying time. Sincerely, Tina and Gannon Wegner

Sorry too all my primos and primas and my Tia...
Love you ...all
Love you too Tio .. give a Big kiss too My Mom up there.. 
We are going too miss you Tio...

Dear Sister Elizabeth, Liz, David, Jacob, Reuben and Benji,
Our love and prayers go to you and your families. We know that your Husband and father will be greatly missed. His days of suffering are over and his days of exceeding great joy have begun.
We have many good shared memories with the Garcia family.
With love, your brethren and friends, Joe and Elise Galante family

Sorry I cant be there dad but you will always remain in my heart and prayers...I love you so much and I miss you and it hurts me most I could never get to being able to hear everything you were telling me....Love Jacob

OBITUARY

David R. Garcia

May 19, 1939 – March 22, 2017

Resthaven/Carr-Tenney Mortuary & Memorial Gardens

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