Amelia Garcia of Lake Jackson, Texas passed away on September 3, 2026. Amelia was born on May 2, 1939, in Brownsville, Texas, to José L. Garza and Amelia Hinojosa Garza. She was affectionately known as Melita or Meli to family and friends. As a teenager, she loved dancing ballet folklórico during Brownsville’s Charro Days celebrations. She graduated as valedictorian of Villa Maria High School in 1957 and then attended Texas Southmost College in Brownsville.

On April 18, 1960, Amelia married her high school sweetheart, Bartolomé (Bart) Garcia, the love of her life. Before the year was over, they moved to Freeport and later Lake Jackson which became her home until her recent passing.

Amelia completed her degree in education commuting to the University of Houston while raising 3 young girls with the help of her mother-in-law, also named Amelia.

She began her career as a Spanish teacher in 1967 for Brazosport ISD teaching at A.P. Beutel Elementary, O.M. Roberts Elementary, and Clute Intermediate School. She taught for 27 years and was well loved by her students and coworkers who remember her affectionately. A former student later credited Señora Garcia in her newspaper column with making her fall in love with Spanish. The article ended with seven words that said it best: “She loved us. And we loved her.”After retiring from teaching in 1994, Amelia had the time to embrace another cherished role, Grandma, to her seven beloved grandchildren. She was deeply involved in the lives of her grandchildren, and Grandma’s house was their favorite place to be. It was a place where they always felt loved, welcomed, and completely at home.Amelia also loved to entertain and cook for others, often having family and friends in her home. Her door was always open, and everyone was always invited to dinner. She and Bart formed a close circle of friends whose bond endured for more than six decades. Together, they celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and gathered every Christmas for their favorite tamale and mole dinner. These lifelong friendships were among the great blessings of Amelia’s life.St. Michael’s Catholic Church was at the center of Amelia’s life in Lake Jackson. She served as a lector and Eucharistic minister, sang in the choir, and co-hosted a Bible study group. Amelia loved her family, her faith, her students, and her friends. She was especially proud of her three daughters throughout their lives, even taking the time to formally introduce them to her new friends at Sodalis whenever she had the chance. Amelia will be remembered for her kindness, her strength, and her boundless generosity towards others.Amelia is survived by her three daughters, Cristina Bacica and husband David of Lake Jackson, Alicia Lowry and husband Patrick of Horseshoe Bay, and Diana Garcia Christman of Houston; her sister, Sister Ninfa Garza; seven grandchildren, Nicholas Bacica and wife Shanna, Joseph Bacica, Lauren Lowry Ward and husband Michael, Lesley Ladrech and husband Bryan, John Michael (Jack) Christman, Daniel Christman and fiancée Veronica Klein, and Katherine Amelia Leach and husband Johnathan; and six great-grandchildren, Rhett and Logan McEwen, Austin Bacica, Evie Ward, and Clementine and Calista Ladrech. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bartolomé Garcia; her parents, José L. Garza, and Amelia Hinojosa Garza; and her sister, Celia Guajardo.

The family is especially grateful to Lucy, Amelia’s devoted caregiver, and to the staff at Sodalis, who cared for her with kindness over the last four years.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Michael’s Catholic Church at 100 Oak Drive, Lake Jackson Texas 77566. All are invited to visit, share memories, and have lunch with the family in the parish hall after the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor Amelia may make a memorial donation to St. Michael’s Catholic Church or to a charity of their choice.