Jose Manuel Garcia

Our family lost a treasure. It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jose Manuel Garcia, age 94, on April 14, 2020.

Jose was born on February 1, 1926 to his parents Hermenejildo Oliva and Maria Christina Garcia in Guanajuato, Sinaloa, MX. Jose moved to San Jose, California at the age of 20 to pursue a better life with his true love, Lorenza Espino Torrez. In 1949, they were married and were blessed with 70 years of marriage and were able to raise a family and build a life together.

Jose, aka “Joe Blue/Azul,” was a self-taught musician and loved to play the bass guitar, accordion, and organ. He played in a few bands, Los PePe’s and Chris Carmona, and was given the nickname “Joe Blue/Azul” because of his blue eyes. He could play a song just by listening to the song once. He would play his accordion and organ during the holidays when the family wanted to sing songs for the occasion. His passion for music was so inspirational, it even stemmed into his religion. Jose would play his bass guitar with the worship team at his church when he was able to. He would try and attend church every Sunday to be with his congregation.

Jose was also a skilled carpenter who worked to support his family, then later after retirement, started his own business in custom cabinetry. He worked hard and showed lots of pride and dedication in his work.

Besides music and work ethics, Jose loved his family and his family loved him. He was a secret magician to his grandchildren who loved to sit in front of him to watch him show off his magic tricks. He loved to watch boxing and listen to his radio when he got the chance, because his love for music never died. His humor was infectious and always made us laugh. The stories he told will be memories for us to cherish.