Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation

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.

Daughter of late doctor, activist to release book about father

Posted by · March 14, 2016 8:55 PM

By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times

With hundreds of photographs snapped over decades and enough memories to fill a library, Cecilia Garcia Akers had the content for a novel.

Then, about a year ago, she was approached by the publishing company and a novel is about to be reality.

"I laughed and said I had never done one," Garcia Akers said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's an opportunity for people to understand what Papa was really like as a human being; his struggles and his family's struggles. I thought that I had to do it and make whatever sacrifices we have to make."

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Book Signing

Posted by · March 07, 2016 11:40 PM

HPG_Invite_(1).jpg

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Dedication of the Jennie Sealy Hospital at UTMB

Posted by · March 02, 2016 8:22 PM

Cecilia Garcia Akers, President and James Akers, Treasurer of the Dr. Hector P. Garcia Memorial Foundation attended the dedication of the Jennie Sealy Hospital at UTMB, Galveston on February 26, 2016.The Garcia Foundation is proud to be a donor to this beautiful, state of the art facility that is primed to improve access to quality care.

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LULAC Community Awards Banquet

Posted by · February 22, 2016 9:39 AM

Pamela Robertson, CEO of Christus Spohn, and Jimmy Akers at the LULAC Community Awards Banquet. Pam accepted the Humanitarian Award on behalf of Christus Spohn on February 18, 2016.

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