USN AVCM Ret. Aurelio G. Garcia, a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and proud Veteran of the United States Navy, went Home to the Almighty Father from natural causes. He was surrounded by his daughter, Debra, and son-in-law, Lonnie Cross.
Aurelio, 94, was known by friends as “Joe” and by family and close friends as “Grelie.” He was born in Cuyler, Texas to Jose and Angela Garcia.
Cuyler was a railroad siding location where the Santa Fe Railroad Company put up housing for the track crews. Grelie’s father was a section foreman and had his own residence. Cuyler, Texas no longer exists but for a single fireplace still standing.
Grelie lived in Cuyler until he was five years of age, when his father was transferred to Pampa, Texas. They were barely moved in when the largest dust storm in Texas history swept through the Texas Panhandle. The storm started in Canada, and when it reached Pampa it was 200 feet tall and from horizon to horizon as far as the eye could see.
As the oldest child of five, Grelie spent his youth growing up in Pampa and graduated from Pampa High School in 1950.
December 1950 Grelie eagerly joined the Navy. He was away at boot camp in San Diego, CA when the draft board sent notice to his home to report. After boot camp, Grelie was transferred to the USS Saint Paul two days before it departed Yokosuka, Japan for the states. Grelie’s first overseas experience was what he could see of Japan while marching from the transport ship to the Saint Paul.
It was while serving on the Saint Paul that Grelie began writing Josephine Ortega who lived in Canadian, Texas. A mutual friend set the pen pals up writing to each other. The Saint Paul was stationed in Long Beach, CA and one Friday Grelie and friends from neighboring Texas towns went home. They drove the 1150 miles home, spent a few hours and returned to be back in time for roll call Monday morning. Grelie took this opportunity to visit and meet “Josie” in person. After the deployment, the ship returned to Long Beach early in September, and Grelie went back to Texas and married his first and last love, Josephine.
Grelie and Josie returned to Long Beach to finish his enlistment. In October of 1954 they returned to Texas and Grelie went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad joining his father, grandfather, uncles, and in-laws. Grelie worked as a telegraph operator but phones were in use so he did office work and sold passenger tickets.
In 1958 Grelie reenlisted to serve a beloved career in the USN. He retired in January 1981 in Virginia Beach, VA. During their 66 years of marriage, Grelie and Josie followed his career and lived in Washington, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia, and their beloved Texas.
Grelie’s travels with the USN took him to Hawaii, Japan, China, Korea, Philippines, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, France, Scotland, Yugoslavia, England, Egypt, Cuba, and Ireland.
Grelie’s nine-month deployments were on the USS Saint Paul, USS Coral Sea, USS Oriskany, USS Hancock, and the USS Kennedy.
It was while serving on the USS Saint Paul, that on July 27, 1953, Grelie’s 23rd birthday, the Korean War ended. The Saint Paul was the ship that fired the last round and Grelie was the computer operator that aimed the gun.
Grelie’s last duty station brought him to Virginia Beach in 1974. He transferred to Attack Squadron 34 as the Command Master Chief.
USN Awards Grelie received were the Navy Commendation Medal for Leadership and Supervisory Performance, (highest non-combat award), Navy Unit Commendation, National Defense Service, Meritorious Unit Commendation, United Nations Service, Korean Service, Korean Presidential Unit, China Service, Vietnam Campaign, Vietnam Service, Armed Forces Expeditionary, and Sea Service Deployment.
Retirement life was not for Grelie, he went to work at Q.E.D. Systems in November 1981, for a couple of years to “get used to civilian life”. Grelie stayed with Q.E.D. for sixteen years before retiring from the working world in December 1998. While working for Q.E.D., Grelie traveled abroad to Spain, Brazil, Hawaii, Rio de Janeiro, and the Bahamas. Q.E.D. also sent him on work assignments to Florida, California, Philadelphia, and Washington.
Grelie was predeceased by his loving wife of 66 years, Josie; his brother Ines Garcia; and his sister Rachel Cole.
Left to carry his legacy are his daughters, Maria Floyd (Tom), and Debra Cross (Lonnie). Grelie also leaves his legacy to Grandchildren Lisa Garcia Ruwaldt, Toby Garcia Ruwaldt, Adam Garcia Cross (Julie), Tyler Garcia Cross (Lorlie), Vincent Garcia Cross (Shaelin), and Matthew Floyd; Great-Grandchildren Courtney Baker, Nolan Cross, Josie Cross, Declan Cross, Cade Cross, and Aurelia Cross, his namesake. He also leaves two sisters and a brother-in-law, Amelia Wariner, John and Vicky Trout.
As Grelie would often tell family members in Texas while visiting, “Josie and I have a family we have always loved and been proud of. We have been fortunate to have had pretty good health. We’ve been places we never thought of, and seen things we never knew of. We are both content with what we have seen, where we have been, and what we have done. Not bad for two kids from the Panhandle of Texas!”
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Saint Gregory the Great Catholic Church in memory of A.G. Garcia.
