My grandfather was left to continue raising his children without his wife. He had built his home next to his brother's house on Chihuahua Street, in a West side neighborhood. His brother, Maurico had married Luisa's sister, Petra. Luckily, Tia Petra helped Arnulfo's daughter's in caring for their younger siblings. The two Ortiz families grew up as a close knit family. Despite their struggles from proverty, each child manage to graduate from high school. This was actually considered a huge accomplishment in the 1950's.
My parents first met in high school. Mom used to work as a student aide in the attendance office at Lanier High School in San Antonio. Gloria was a popular high school cheerleader. Her personality was naturally bubbly and joyful. She was a cute, petite beauty who capture my Dad's eye.
Edward Garcia, better known as Eddie in his younger years, came from a poor family of 8 boys. His father, Roberto Garcia was a shoemaker, his mother, Candelaria Garcia, was a housewife. Eddie would find any excuse to go to the attendance office just to see Gloria.
She was immediately smitten by his good looks and charming, polite manners. It wasn't long before they became boyfriend & girlfriend. They dated briefly during high school, secretly meeting at the Malt House or local dance hall. Gloria's father would not permit his daughters to date or bring boys to their modest 4 room house. The Ortiz sisters often pretended to go out together so they could each meet their boyfriends and go on individual dates.
Gloria and Eddie's relationship eventually drifted apart before her graduation. She graduated from Lanier in 3 years at the age of 16 in 1955. She went to work at Lackland Air Force Base as a secretary to help support her younger siblings. One day in early1958, she was at the Greyhound Bus station to see her sister Minnie off to visit their sister Socky for the summer. It was there that Gloria ran into Eddie. He had joined the military in 1956 after his high school graduation. He recognized her and stopped to chat with her before his bus departed to Amarillo, where he was stationed. Before leaving, he asked for her phone number and address. They soon began writing each other. It wasn't long before they had rekindled their relationship and fell in love again. While Eddie was stationed in Amarillo, he would return to San Antonio to visit his family, especially Gloria. One day, he said "Let's get married today" and just like that, she accepted. They didn't have any special plan in mind. Eddie asked his brother Raul and his then girlfriend, Toni to serve as witnesses at the courthouse. They hopped the bus downtown to go to the courthouse for a civil wedding. It was there that they eloped. October 14, 1958 is the day they became husband and wife. He was 21, she was 20.
Eddie had to return to his military duties in Amarillo, Gloria went home (her father's home). Back in those days, the San Antonio paper would publish announcements of couples who had gotten married. Unbeknowning to Eddie & Gloria, their names ran in the paper a few days later. When their names appeared, Gloria's sister, Genny saw the wedding announcement and ran crying around her house. Everyone in the family thought that somebody had died when Genny cried out, "We lost her. We lost her." Nobody understood what Genny was talking about. The family had no idea that Gloria had eloped. Years later It became the joke in the family. Gloria was immediately kicked out of her father's home and told to go live with her husband. Before she could join Eddie, Gloria stayed with her older sister, Connie.
Connie was married to Alex already and had a daughter name Debbie. Gloria spent a few months living there while working to save her money to move with her husband. It wasn't long before Eddie returned to San Antonio to take his bride to Amarillo.
The two newlyweds soon began building their own life together. Gloria got a secretarial job on the base while Eddie was stationed there. Eddie received his honorable discharge from the Air Force in December 1961. They returned to San Antonio and found jobs at Kelly Air Force Base. This was the start of their careers working for the government as civil service employees. They rented a little house on the west side of town. In 1962, Gloria found out she was pregnant. They soon bought their first house on Parmly Street to welcome their firstborn child.
They were beyond excitement to welcome their only girl, Laura Lynn (ME) on May 28, 1963. I was the first girl born on my father's Garcia family. When I was two, my parents move to Washington, DC for temporary work assignment there. They later returned to San Antonio afterward. In the fall of 1966, Eddie's father passed away. Gloria was pregnant with their second child. On January 18, 1967, their only son, Eric Edward was born.
I was a little mother hen and pampered my baby brother. By 1968, my parents were working at Randolph Air Force base and bought their second house on the outskirts of San Antonio, in the City of Live Oak. Back in those days, Live Oak Village was a growing area of military personnel and cilivans building their homes close to the base. My parents bought their house at 119 Greycliff Dr for $25,000, which was considered very expensive. We settled into our home and made wonderful memories that are precious to me still. We made many friends while watching the neighborhood grow.
I remember that Mom's biggest worry was that she would not live long enough to raise her children. I could see why she would have this fear since losing her mother at a young age. Our parents were wonderful, showering us both with so much unconditional love. There was never any shortage of hugs, kisses and understanding.
We took vacations to different parts of the United States. Our parents wanted to expose us to different cultures. We took trips along the Eastern Coast line, from New York City, Washington DC and Richmond Virginia to as far south as Miami, Florida and all along the Gulf coast, Midwestern states and west coast too. We were raised in San Antonio until I was 16 years old. My Dad accepted a job in Tampa, Florida during my junior year in high school. Shortly after moving to Tampa, Dad was relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, where I started my senior year.Then 4 months after moving there, we desperately wanted to return to Texas, so Dad accepted a job in Dallas, in late 1980. I finished my senior year at South Garland High School in 1981.
I met my future husband shortly after we returned to Texas. Guillermo Vasquez (Willie) was in the Marine Corp and received his honorable discharge in 1982. We began a three year courtship. I was going to college working on my bachelor's degree when Willie asked me to marry him. My parents wanted me to finish college before I married. But I had disobeyed my parents wishes and eloped on September 30, 1983. I kept my marriage a secret while I was planning my real wedding. I was going through an emotional time knowing I disobeyed my parents. When my father asked me if I was already married, I told him the truth. I still remember how bad I felt in the pit of my stomach. My father was very upset with me. My mother was extremely forgiving and offered her eternal love to me. Stating that she could not turn her back on me, that I would need her one day. After two weeks, my father called me and asked me to come visit. I was living in Denton during my junior year of college. Willie and I drove to visit my parents in Mesquite. Our conversation filled me with mixed emotion. My parents had decided to accept my decision to marry Willie. They gave us their blessings, saying that they didn't want to force me to chose between them & Willie. I was on cloud 9 after I got my parent's blessing. We continued planning our wedding and we married on December 30, 1983. I was 20 years old, he was 24. I can honestly say it was the happiest day of my life.
Although, my parents had their differences, I always felt that I had the greatest parents in the world. I had always been close to my parents and I loved spending quality time with them whenever I could. We were always together during the holidays and special occasions. I thought life couldn't get any better.
Willie & I bought our first house in 1985 and welcomed our first child, Valerie Lauren on January 26, 1988. My parents were the most loving grandparents that I had ever seen. They spoiled their first grandchild rotten. Joshua Guillermo arrived on July 7, 1989, followed by Vanessa Lynn on December 27, 1991. Their fourth grandchild, Jacob Gabriel arrived on the same day, three years later in 1994.
Nana & Bampa were the best grandparents ever. They helped in their childcare and my children loved and adored them so much. Little did we know that my Dad would died the following year on January 22, 1996 from a massive heartattack while on vacation.
My Dad's death took an emotional toll on my family. Eric was with my parents on their annual vacation to Hot Springs, Arkansas. My parents loved going to their timeshare. So when I think back on it, Dad died in a beautiful place he loved. I was in shock after my Dad's passing. It's the little things that I love most about my Dad. He was a very thoughtful and giving person. Sometimes on weekends, Dad would get up early to go buy barbacoa and pan de dulce and then drop it off at my house. Then he would call me on the phone to tell me that I had a surprise waiting on my front door. There were times when I would be visiting my parents and Dad would walk me to my car. He'd always look at my gas level in my car. If my car was low, he would insist that on taking me to the gas station to fill up my car. He hated me to drive on a low tank of gas.
After Dad's passing, Mom and I were on an emotional roller coaster. We each tried to be strong for the other. We balanced each other. When I was weak, she was strong. When Mom was down, I lifted her spirits. My Dad was buried in Dallas, despite my pleads to be buried in San Antonio. I always told him that I would move back after he was gone. About 4 months after his death, a job opportunity with FedEx became available in San Antonio, Willie and I applied immediately. Within a few weeks we were transferred to San Antonio. At first, it was hard being apart from Mom, but luckily she devided to moved to San Antonio about two years later. She bought a condo near my home and started a new life close to me again.
My mother was the sweetest, happiest and loving person ever. She had a spunky personality and was friendly with everyone. Our daily lives were intertwined and she helped in the upbringing of my children. Nana's bond with my children is everlasting. She was very involved in our lives and we saw each other often, if not daily. In 1998, when Mom turned 60 years old, I threw her a surprised birthday party. She was totally shocked that I had planned this event without her knowledge and her entire family was there to celebrate this special occasion.
Mom stayed very active in her retirement years. If she wasn't with me & my children, she was traveling with her sisters. She traveled to Alaska, Mexico and others states. Mom spent several vacations with my family too. In 1999, we went to Disney World in Florida. Everybody had a great time. We returned to Florida together in 2004 to visit Universal Studios.
In 2008, when Mom turned 70 years old, to celebrate, I took her on a trip to San Fransisco and Lake Tahoe. We called it a girls trip since only Mom and me and my daughters went. During our trip, we drove through Yosemite National Park. It was the best trip ever. I am so glad that we got to share this experience together.
In 2009, Mom was showing signs of dementia but it would take another year before I could get her evaluated. By 2011, Eric & I were told that Mom had the most common form of dementia that would likely lead to Alzheimer's Disease. We were crushed. I couldn't even fathom my life without my mother. I loved her so much and we were so close, I didn't even want to imagine what our journey would be like on this unfamiliar road of life. I can honestly say that it is definitely called The Long Goodbye for a reason. Little by little, I lost bits and pieces of my mother. Watching her health slowly decline is the hardest journey to travel. We tried hard to show our love and affection to Mom often. We told her we loved her every opportunity we could. She never forgot her children & grandchildren. She loved us to the very end. I am totally grateful that Mom lived to see her grandchildren reach adulthood. We lost her on Tuesday, September 24, 2013, at the age of 75. Although it broke our hearts to let her go, we are forever blessed for the wonderful memories she left behind.
As I look back on my childhood, I often find myself remembering all the little things my parents did for me. I thank my lucky stars that I was blessed with such wonderful and loving parents. Their unconditional love was the greatest gift that was given freely to me. Their many sacrifices to provide a better life for me and my brother didn't go unnoticed. Despite my teenage rebellion years, when I would looked mother in her eyes and swear I would never be like her, little did I know then that, I would turn into my own mother one day.
Life is truly an adventure and we never know what our future may hold. But I know that wherever I go, I know that my parent's spirit lives on within my heart. After all, I am my mother's mutsie and my father's Baby Huey. Death will never end the bonds of love we share.
Always & Forever.
