Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation

Daughter of late American GI Forum founder hosts book signing

Posted by · April 17, 2016 10:41 AM

By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times

Snakes in the mailbox. The death of a son and brother. A man's jitters before meeting the president of the United States.

These are the stories not found in any historical text on the legacy of Dr. Hector P. Garcia.

But Cecilia Garcia Akers knew they were stories that needed to be shared with the world, especially the community her father worked tirelessly to serve.

"He's a person who's a historical significance but people don't really look at the effect on his family," Garcia Akers said. "On the personal side — his health, finances. I was able to touch on that in the book to understand the sacrifices that he made and his family made for him to do what he was able to do."

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KIII TV 3 First Edition

Posted by · April 09, 2016 4:57 PM

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Available Today!

Posted by · April 04, 2016 8:53 AM

Today, April 4, 2016 The Inspiring Life of Texan Hector P. Garcia is published. You may go to BarnesandNoble.com, Amazon.com, The History Press or www.drhectorpgarciafoundation.org for purchase. We appreciate your support. I know that you will enjoy the story and the beautiful photographs in my book.

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Dr. Hector P. García collection goes digital

Posted by · April 01, 2016 12:28 PM

By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times

Dr. Hector P. García donated his collection of papers and memorabilia to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 1990.

Now the university is going to share it with the world.

"That's the most important thing," Garcia's daughter, Cecilia Garcia Akers said. "That my father's collection will be available to the entire world. Finally people will learn about him and all his work."

The university announced this week an undetermined portion of the collection will be digitized by an outside agency. Access will be available to all. Specifics are being worked out, but it is anticipated there will be a link off the library's special collection's website and through other online resources for state libraries.

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ROTC Islander Battalion Starts New Tradition to Honor Hector P. Garcia

Posted by · March 25, 2016 11:43 PM

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A new tradition at the Island University honors the life and legacy of Dr. Hector P. Garcia. ROTC Islander Battalion Private First Class Simbai Mutandiro came up with the new practice.

“Each time a uniformed member of the ROTC Islander Battalion should pass though Hector P. Garcia Plaza on campus, they will now stop to salute the Garcia statue,” said Mutandiro, a freshman geophysics major. “This is now an official University tradition. All the documents have been submitted to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and an official standard operating procedure has been made within the ROTC program.”

Mutandiro says the goal of the tradition is to bring together the ROTC unit under the vision of the great leader, and to gain a deeper appreciation for Dr. Garcia and the University as a whole. He says he has the full support of his fellow cadets, including Headquarters Company First Sergeant Tyris Foster, a junior criminal justice major.

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A True Public Servant

Posted by · March 19, 2016 3:31 PM

Excerpt from The Inspiring Life of Héctor P. García, a memoir-biography

The first book signing for The Inspiring Life of Héctor P. García will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, in the Bell Library at 1:30 pm. Dr. García donated his entire collection of papers and memorabilia to this university in 1990.

By Cecilia Garcia Akers

The Death of the Namesake

It was a bright and early Sunday morning in July, 1962. Young Hector was packed and ready to go on his trip to Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. He was traveling with his older sister, Daisy Garcia, and another family to stay for an extended vacation and to learn Spanish.

That morning, young Hector was so excited. I was still in bed because it was still very early but could hear all the commotion in his room. He had one large suitcase ready to go. On his way out, he came to say goodbye to me and tossed me one of his favorite baseball pamphlets. He said “goodbye Squirt, I got this for you.” I was so surprised that he had given me the pamphlet that he used and cherished. I said “Bye Sonny, come back soon.” That was the last time I would see my beloved brother alive.

The next day, my mother received a telephone call from my father. Her face turned grim and her voice lowered. She told me that Sonny was in an accident and they were leaving immediately to Morelia, Mexico. She said that Sonny was climbing up some steps on a mountain and fell. Unfortunately, he fell on his only one functioning kidney and went into shock. My parents decided to drive to Mexico. The plan was to bring Sonny home in my father’s Cadillac. My father’s main confidant and friend Santiago Castro was going to drive them to Mexico. My mother’s plan was to bring her beloved son home in the Cadillac, resting his head in her lap for the trip.