Edward S. Garcia Sr.

1925 - 2019

Edward S. “Eddie� Garcia Sr., 93, of Virginia Beach passed from this earth on Thursday, May 30, 2019.Born on September 7, 1925 in Norfolk, Virginia, Eddie was the son of Manuel and Rosa Garcia. He was predeceased by his parents and all of his siblings; his brothers Pete, Freddie, Donnie, Manny and Michael Garcia; and his sisters Anna DeAngelo and Mary Gelardi, and his grandson, Bryan Dugan.He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Sandra Garcia; sons, Edward Jr, Carmen and Ricky Garcia; daughters, Ramona Garcia, Angela (Scott) Garcia-Mozer, Rosa Garcia, and Ana Imperial; his nephew and longtime business associate, Mike (Susan) Gelardi; his grandchildren Jason (Tammy) Dugan, Brittany (Kevin) Jeffries, Carmen (Abby) Garcia, Rebecca Garcia, Andrew Garcia, Ricky Garcia Jr., Anna Garcia, John Edward Jordan and Josh (Tiffany) Kellam, as well as many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews; those who worked alongside of him, Andrea (Ron) Kilmer and his entire work family; his devoted and talented doctors, Barbara Parks and Murray Goldberg; his caregivers Amy, Willie, Genne, and Ann; and many loving friends and colleagues.A man of family and faith, Eddie dropped out of school after the sixth grade to help feed his family during the Depression by scraping oil off the floor of Mr. Looney’s motor shop. He worked construction jobs on area bases as a teen, recognized for his work ethic and willingness to tackle tasks that nobody wanted. Wanting to serve his country, he followed three of his brothers into action, joined the Navy at 17, and served in the South Pacific during World War II. He was a master electrician by trade and an entrepreneur by spirit, who succeeded beyond his wildest imagination with a combination of hard work, fierce determination, and an uncanny ability to see value where others failed to look. Eddie became a prominent developer and philanthropist, contributing to individuals and the community, not only in monetary gifts, but also with his vision and heart. Throughout the years, he served as a friend, advisor, or director to many charitable and business undertakings, always encouraging others to reach further than they ever thought possible. He worked with world leaders, presidents, diplomats, and kings, but was equally at home with those less prominent and less fortunate, always listening with the same intensity to each person who crossed his path, always willing to learn from their experience and more than happy to share his love, his booming laughter, his childlike sense of wonder, and his amazing capacity for forgiveness with everyone he touched. We will miss the shining insight and inspiration he brought to each moment of his magnificent life.A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11: 00 AM, Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at Star of the Sea Catholic Church located at 1404 Pacific Avenue, Virginia Beach. Entombment will be at Princess Anne Memorial Park, 1110 North Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, immediately following the service. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 6:30 PM on Monday, June 3, 2019 H. D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to Star of the Sea Catholic Church. Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com.