Iris Elaine Garcia

She was born May 17, 1944 to Joseph Frederick Smith, Sr. and Frances Hellen Sellers Smith in Jacksonville, FL. She graduated from Ribault Sr High School in 1963. After graduation, she attended business school and worked at various companies for the next few years, until she was married to Marco A Garcia, Jr in August 1965. They immediately moved to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, MT, then in 1968 were relocated to Tyndall AFB in Panama City, FL. After Marco was discharged from the Air Force, they returned to Jacksonville where they raised their family. She was a homemaker while the children were young, then also worked as a teacher’s aide at Lola M. Culver Elementary school until 1988, when they moved to Tallahassee, FL.

Iris had a passion for sewing, quilting, and needlework, and was employed at a few fabric and craft stores. She began a “share time” bible study in her home and regularly attended Homemakers meetings at the Leon County Extension office. She was involved in a knit and crochet group, was a long-time member of the Quilters Unlimited guild, and worked on many philanthropic projects throughout the years.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years; baby daughter Ellie; brothers Spencer Smith, Joseph ‘Freddy’ Smith Jr, and Owen Smith; sisters Frances Chapman and Gwendolyn Sheffield; and by her parents.

She is survived by sons Marco Garcia, III, of Jacksonville; Andrew Garcia, of Middleburg; and Matthew Garcia, of Quincy, FL; daughters Leanna Garcia Barone, of Jacksonville; and Melanie Teegen (James), of Tallahassee, FL; grandchildren Nisha Rhodes, Ariana Barone Mulcahy (Connor), and Victor Barone; great-granddaughter Ivy Ricker; sisters Nancy Crumpton and Esther Wiggins; and innumerable cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation with the family will be at 10:00am Tuesday, December 5, at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home, 1737 Riggins Rd, Tallahassee. Funeral Service will follow at 12:00pm. Burial will be at 2:00pm at the Tallahassee National Cemetery, 5015 Apalachee Pkwy, Tallahassee.