Fred Anthony and Lucinda E. Garcia

Fred Anthony Garcia, 1 August 1937 – 8 February 2025 (age 87) and Lucinda Elena Sena Garcia, 1 November 1941 – 22 June 2025 (age 83) It is with great sadness that their children announce the deaths of Fred A. and Lucy E Garcia. Fred died peacefully in his home on February 8, 2025. His beloved wife, Lucinda "Lucy," followed him on June 22, 2025. Their family will greatly miss them and will cherish the memories of their great love, and the lessons and stories they passed on to their children. Fred was born in Las Vegas, NM, the last of three children born to Manuel, a barber, and Manuelita "Mela" Garcia, a schoolteacher. Affectionately known as "Freddie de la Calle," because of his habit of riding his tricycle around the businesses of the town square where his dad's shop was located, he was known from an early age to be outgoing, friendly, and hard working. Lucy was born in the rural farming village of Garita, NM to Napoleon and Perfecta Sena. When Lucy was 13 months old, her mother died, and she was thereafter raised by her grandparents, Ramon and Carlota Lucero in Chaperito, NM, whose families had been farmers in that area for generations. Her family moved to Las Vegas, NM when Lucy was a teen. Fred met Lucy, the love of his life, at the age of 19 and declared upon meeting her that she was the girl he would marry. They formed an unbreakable and unbeatable union that would span more than 66 years and take them from the small, highland city of Las Vegas, NM to the nation's capital, and finally to the low country of SC. Both Fred and Lucy had a natural curiosity about the world, a thirst for knowledge, a strong work ethic, and a drive to achieve. They were devout Catholics. After graduating from West Las Vegas High School two years ahead of his peers, Fred worked in the oil fields outside Farmington, NM collecting core samples; served in the NM National Guard for his mandatory conscription; became a barber like his father; owned a restaurant with Lucy for a short time; and finally matriculated and graduated from NM Highlands University with a degree in Accounting. Fred worked for the University of New Mexico and Ernst and Ernst in Albuquerque before moving to Virginia and taking a position as a management consultant with Development Associates. Ironically, he spent most of his career traveling to work on contracts, mostly in the west. Fred ended his work career as a successful financial analyst for the Interamerican Development Bank, where he traveled to almost every country in the Western Hemisphere. After Lucy married Fred, she immediately set up housekeeping and raised her children. She was an expert seamstress and a superb cook. Much love could be found in Lucy's kitchen. She instilled a love of learning, a sense of adventure, and a generosity of spirit in her children. Her mantra was always, "If you share what you have, you will never go hungry." When Lucy and Fred moved to Albuquerque, she began working for the Albuquerque Public School System as a secretary and continued in that profession for Fairfax County Schools' Department of Special Education when the family moved to VA. She worked there until she and Fred retired in 1992. Fred and Lucy stressed the importance of family above all else and forged a strong bond with their only grandchild by engaging in the same kind of play and life lessons that they once enjoyed with their children. Once retired, Fred and Lucy relocated to Fredericksburg, VA and then to Bluffton, SC. They enjoyed many years of travel in their recreational vehicle across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and they established friendships with like-minded travelers throughout the US. They had a great love of the national parks and would frequently exclaim that God's majesty could be found there. They also traveled to the Caribbean, South America, and Europe, but the open road and following their nose was their first love, and they treasured every adventure they had with each other and their granddaughter in the RV. They laughingly called themselves "The RV Gang." Fred and Lucy are survived by their children Trina Rice (husband Carl, deceased) of Bluffton, SC; Charlotte Alvarez (husband Pete) of Denver, NC; and Adrian Garcia (wife Kathy) of Jacksonville Beach, FL; as well as their granddaughter, Gabriela Doyle (husband Jack and daughter Sophia) of Sterling, VA. There also are several surviving siblings of Lucy, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins from both in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and California who will miss them. Fred and Lucy chose to be cremated, and after a private memorial, they will be interred at the columbarium at St. Gregory's Catholic Church in Bluffton, SC. Though the family is devastated by their loss, they know that Fred and Lucy are happy and at peace with each other, their parents, and several siblings. If the evidence of a life well lived is found in those who loved you, then Fred and Lucy truly had a successful life, as their family will carry them in their hearts forever. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to a charity of your choice. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Fred A. and Lucinda E. Garcia, please visit our Tree Store.