Josephina Virginia "Josie" Garcia

The Rosary for Josephina Garcia, 86, of Portales will be recited at 7:00 PM, Thurs., Oct. 30, 2025 at St. Helen Catholic Church. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Fri., Oct. 31, 2025 at St. Helen Catholic Church by Fr. Francisco Carbajal. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery wit Rene Pando II, Juaquin Estrada, Lucas Garcia, Jonathan Garcia, Ted Garcia, Leo Holguin, Enrique Urioste and Joey Garcia serving as pallbearers. All of her grandchildren and God children will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Josephina Virginia Garcia, known to family and friends as "Josie" was born Mar. 31, 1939 in Duran, NM to the home of Delores (Madril) and Juan J. Garcia and died in Lubbock, TX on Oct. 24, 2025. Mrs. Garcia grew up in Encino, and it was there on April 7, 1956 that she was married to Jose "Joe" Garcia. In the late 1950's, they moved to Santa Fe where they lived for a couple of years, and then moved to Albuquerque. In 1966, they moved to Portales to make their home. For a few years she was employed at Selected Casings, and then as a cook for the Headstart program. On Aug. 12, 1975, she and her husband in partnership with her sister and brother-in-law, opened La Hacienda Mexican Food Restaurant. In 1984, they sold their interest in the business to their partners, the Flores' and opened El Caballero restaurant in Clovis. In 1989, they opened El Rancho Mexican Food Restaurant in Portales. Even though she was "officially retired" for the past several years, she remained a daily fixture there until only a few years ago.
Mrs. Garcia enjoyed traveling, and was the first one in the family to go on a cruise. She loved to go to the casinos where she played the slot machines. Cooking was her love language. Every morning, she would prepare a big breakfast for her family. She was the source for all the recipes for both La Hacienda and later El Rancho Restaurants. Josie also enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and word puzzles, and creating beautiful crocheted items. She was a lifelong member of the Catholic church.
She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Ruben and Sara Garcia, Jose and Elvia Garcia and Johnny and Martha Garcia all of Portales; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Jo Ann Estrada, Gloria and Herman Holguin and Eileen and Baldemar Diaz all of Portales and Deborah and Rene Pando of Odessa, TX; 32 grandchildren, 60 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Andy and Mary Garcia of Roswell, NM and Rudy and Virgie Garcia of Portales; and three sisters, Aurora Flores and Priscilla Archibeque both of Portales and Mabel Urioste of Ponca City, OK. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Lorenzo and Arthur Garcia, three sisters, Sadie Tapia, Jane Salas and Dorothy Montoya, a granddaughter, Kimberly Ann Garcia and by Joe, her beloved husband of more than 60 years, who died April 10, 2016.
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