Armand Garcia

1931 - 2024

Brother Armand Garcia, FSC

Aug. 29, 1931 - April 5, 2024

NAPA - "The Light That Speaks" Brother Armand's Native American name, given to him by the Chief of the Pitt River Nation, speaks volumes about who he was and what he gave to everyone he met! Brother Armand Garcia's Final Words of Wisdom for the World as He Departs for The Light "Let God's Will Prevail NOT Free Will." Brother Armand has gone home to God and wanted to express his hope for the world and especially the United States at this time. This is the time to enable God's Will instead of free will, which often is not loving kind and compassionate.

Brother Armand lived an extraordinary 92 years on this earth. He became a Christian Brother in 1952, and spent his 92 years giving back, teaching love, joy and commitment while honoring his remarkable family, and by changing the lives of thousands of students, friends and family he touched with his boundless energy and love. He was a deeply spiritual and determined leader and teacher.

He was born in East Los Angeles on August 29, 1931, the 11th child in a remarkable family. All 11 children were successful. Seven of his eight brothers served in the military in WWII and Korea. Seven of their grandsons served in Vietnam. He graduated from Saint Mary's College with a BA in education in 1957, and his first teaching assignment was at Sacred Heart High School in San Francisco, followed by teaching at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles from 1957 to 1960, then Director at St. Joseph Boys Boarding School. In 1964 he moved to the Republic of the Philippines to the Bacolod High School.

In 1967-1968, he studied at the University of Madrid in Spain and received an MBA in linguistics then came back to the Philippines in 1968 as the principal at La Salle High School in Bacolod, Philippines, and was named "The Adopted Son of Bacolod and Negros Occidental". In 1977 he was sent to Tijuana, Mexico, to research education initiatives and in 1978 to 1985, against all odds, he created the Centro La Salle Tijuana BC Foundation. From 1986 to 1996 he grew the Instituto Miguel-Hidalgo, Inc Foundation. Always fascinated in spiritual studies he also spent six months studying at The Center for Hindu Studies. In 1997-2003, he was assigned to the Brothers Community at Justin-Siena High School in Napa and honored as a Napa Peace Table Honoree.

While in Napa from 1997 to 2009, he created the Instituto Latino De Adultos Foundation, helping Napa Latinos and most prominently Latinas learn and succeed at important life and career skills. Brother Armand's selfless life of learning, giving, loving and becoming the best human he could be is a lesson for all of us who were blessed to know and love him. He wanted his last words to be passed on to his beloved Napa Community. Let his hope for the world be shared and enacted by all of us who were touched by this remarkable teacher of life. God's Will NOT Man's Free Will.

The funeral and burial will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Mont La Salle, in Napa, starting at 11:00 a.m.

Memories and notes of sympathy may be shared at claffeyandrota.com.