Martin Henry Garza

Martin H. Garza Sr.

1940-2025

Early Life and Family

Martin Henry Garza, Sr., was born on October 21, 1940, in San Antonio, Texas, to Efrain Garza Sr. and Emma Vasquez Garza. The second of five children—Efrain Jr., Martin, Mary Alice, Emma, and Christine—he grew up in the Christ the King neighborhood, where his family owned and operated Garza’s Garage, a vintage service station established in 1946. From a young age, Martin worked alongside his father, brother, and grandfather at the garage, and helped relatives in carpentry and painting, cultivating both a strong work ethic and practical skills.

Education and Athletics

Martin attended Ira Ogden Elementary, Irving Junior School, and San Antonio Vocational High School (later renamed Fox Tech). Alongside his studies, he developed a love for sports, playing baseball in the Babe Ruth Little League, basketball and football in middle school, and starring as quarterback in high school. At Fox Tech, he was named to the All-District and All-City Football Teams and graduated in 1959. He also founded the Road Dominion Car Club for hot rod enthusiasts, organizing dances and events that reflected his energy and leadership.  Shortly after high school, he helped organize the Lancero Social Club where he showed off his dancing skills and Ford convertible to many female admirers.  It is through the social club dances where he met his first wife Evangelina.  

Acts of Character

His compassion and courage shone through early. In 1959, the San Antonio Express-News reported how Martin saved a young girl from drowning in Helotes by pulling her from deep water and performing CPR. Decades later, in 1990, the same paper honored him in its Dedication Rewarded column for his unwavering contributions to social work and community building.

Higher Education and Career

After high school, Martin supported his education by working as an ice cream routeman and at Friedrich Refrigeration, while also assisting his father at the family garage. Through determination and a National Student Defense Loan, he completed his bachelor’s degree at St. Mary’s University. Inspired by sociology professor Herbert Leis, Martin pursued graduate studies and earned a master’s degree in social work from Our Lady of the Lake University.

His career reflected his lifelong mission to guide and inspire others. He served as Program Director for the San Antonio Neighborhood Youth Organization, worked for the U.S. Department of Labor, and later returned to community service through the House of Neighborly Services. In 1971, he joined MHMR’s Drug Dependence Program, quickly advancing to leadership roles including Chief of Narcotic Addiction & Rehabilitation, Director of Intake & Outpatient Services, and ultimately, Director of the Drug Dependence Program, where he served until his retirement in 1995.

Family and Community

In 1966, Martin married Evangelina (Eva) Lopez, with whom he shared a loving home in the Jefferson neighborhood. Their home, marked by its heart-shaped architectural design, became a symbol of the love and warmth they extended to family and community. Together, they raised two sons, Martin Jr. and Edward. The family achieved notable recognition—Eva as one of San Antonio Express-News Outstanding Women Leaders in 1986, Martin Jr. as one of the Express-News Outstanding Teens in 1985, and Edward as junior and senior class president and community leader who went on to become San Antonio’s youngest mayor.

A few years after Eva’s passing, Martin remarried Mary Esther Hernandez, who brought two daughters, Marissa and Melissa, into the family. Together they created a blended household rooted in love, laughter, and many cherished memories, extending Martin’s legacy of devotion to family and togetherness.

Later Years and Legacy

After retiring, Martin continued restoration work at Garza’s Garage, restoring antique cars, fishing, painting his lifetime home, and cheering on local student-athletes. His philosophy—Bold Action, Deep Respect, Lasting Restoration—shaped not only his career but also his family and personal passions. He cherished time with his grandchildren, Elizabeth, Trey, Lily, and Noel, and enjoyed reflecting beneath his backyard gazebo to the sound of a nearby fountain.

Martin passed away after a brief bout with cancer on August 15, 2025, surrounded by family. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Efrain Jr., his beloved wife Eva, and granddaughter Hope. He is survived by his wife Mary Esther; his sons Martin Jr. (Charlene) and Edward (Anna Laura); stepdaughters Marissa Guerra (Orlando) and Melissa Rosales (Michael); sisters Emma, Alice, and Christine; grandchildren Elizabeth, Trey, Lily, and Noel; and many extended family members.

Final Tribute

Martin documented his life’s reflections in an unpublished memoir, La Vida es Corta, Pero Muy Ancha (“Life is Short, Yet Quite Broad”), which captured the shared journey of two brothers from childhood to seniorhood on San Antonio’s westside.

A public Funeral Mass will be held Friday, August 22, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, followed by entombment at San Fernando Cemetery #2 Mausoleum Chapel. The entombment ceremony inside the chapel will have limited seating reserved for immediate family. Extended family, friends, and loved ones are warmly invited to gather outside the chapel to pay their respects and share in remembrance. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Martin H. Garza Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund through the San Antonio ISD Foundation—ensuring his life’s mission of guidance and inspiration continues.