Santos Leocadio Garza

Santos Leocadio Garza was born December 9, 1929 in Mission, Texas to parents Victoriano and Santos (Moreno) Garza and passed away August 9, 2018 in Richardson, Texas. Preceded in death by wife of 54 years Erna Gress Garza, brothers Ismael and Roberto Garza, sisters Sara Garza Gorena and Margarita Garza Hayes. Survived by daughter Karen Garza-Beck and son-in-law David Beck of Richardson, Texas, granddaughter Viktoria Ingrid Garza Beck, brother Rodolfo Garza and his wife Christina, and brother Jose Maria Garza and his wife Sylvia, and several nieces and nephews. Santos has been a resident of Richardson, Texas since 1970.

Santos grew up in Mission and graduated from Mission High School in 1948. He was a Korean War era veteran, entering the Army on Sept 9th, 1948. He was assigned to the First Medical Battalion, First Infantry Division in Germany, arriving as a Private First Class and rising through the ranks to Staff Sergeant. He met and fell in love with wife Erna Gress in Regensberg, Germany, marrying and returning to the states in Jan 1953. He was stationed at Fort Hood Texas, Fort Benning Georgia, and Fort Bragg North Carolina before his enlistment ended in 1955. He then entered the Active Reserve Forces (Ready Reserve), rising to the rank of Sergeant Major for the 363rd General Support Group in Austin and San Marcos, Texas. He retired from the Ready Reserve on June 17, 1971 and from the Retired Reserve in December 1989 at the age of 60, completing 41 years of army service. Among his awards was the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service.

Santos attended the University of Texas College of Pharmacy from 1955-1961, graduating and becoming a practicing pharmacist for years in Austin. He rapidly became assistant manager, then manager of the Sommers Drug Store in Hancock Shopping Center in Austin. He became vice-president and later director of the Capital Area Pharmaceutical Association, and vice-president and later president of the Hancock Shopping Center Merchants Association.

In 1964 Santos became a federal employee, named Public Health Advisor at the regional Office of Economic Opportunity, where he had primary responsibility for setting up alcoholism and drug addiction programs funded by OEO, as well as community health programs. In 1972 he joined the National Health Service Corps as an Associate Regional Program Director. He also worked for the Health Care Financing Administration inside the Department of Health Education and Welfare (later the Department of Health and Human Services) as a nursing home and hospital surveyor and pharmacy consultant, ensuring a high quality of care in Medicare and Medicaid providers. He also set up health clinics in rural areas. He retired in June of 1994 with over 30 years of service as a Federal employee.

Santos was active with the Korean War Veterans Association Sam Johnson Chapter for many years. He was interested in genealogy, tracing the Garza family back to the early Spanish explorers in Mexico and South Texas. He was also interested in the Spanish Andalusian horse, involved in the ANCCE (National Purebred Spanish Horse Breeders’ Association) and the IALHA (International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association). He was a member of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Texas Pharmaceutical Association, Capitol Area Pharmaceutical Association, the University of Texas Ex-Students Association, the American GI Forum, and NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees association).

A Vigil Service will be held Monday, August 20, 2018 at 7:00 P.M. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, Texas 75023. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. with a reception to follow in the Parrish Hall. Santos will be laid to rest with his wife at the DFW National Cemetery at 1:30 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the University of Texas, P.O. Box 7278, Austin TX 78713.