[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 15 (Thursday, January 24, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E91-E92]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MANUEL U. GARCIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 24, 2019

  Mr. CORREA. Madam Speaker, I would like to take some time to honor 
Manuel U. Garcia, a proud U.S. Citizen and Zacatecano that devoted his 
life to theater, philanthropy, and his family. Regrettably Mr. Garcia 
passed away on October 28, 2018 in Santa Ana, California at the age of 
76 years old.
  Mr. Garcia was born in El Cargadero, Zacatecas, Mexico to Francisco 
and Antonia Garcia. He was the fourth child of a family of 10 children. 
At the age of 21, he immigrated

[[Page E92]]

to the United States in 1962 as a member of the Bracero Program and 
worked as a farm worker in Arizona and California. He eventually made 
his way to Los Angeles where he attended community college to learn 
English. In 1964 he moved to Santa Ana where he bought two homes. He 
became an imperative resource to his family and friends arriving from 
Mexico, providing them with temporary shelter, food and helping them 
find jobs.
  As a member of the Santa Ana Actors Club of the Yost Theater, he 
helped bring Spanish-speaking theater to the growing Latino community 
in Santa Ana by acting and writing screen plays and poems. He began 
working as a laborer in 1966 and was a proud card-carrying member of 
the Laborers' International Union of North America, Local 652, for more 
than 50 years. During his 23 years as a laborer, he worked on many 
construction projects throughout Southern California, including 
numerous expansions to the Interstate 5 freeway and building the 
Indiana Jones Adventure ride at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
  Mr. Garcia was married in 1971, to Reyna Silvia, and together they 
had eight children: Leticia, Patricia, Alma, Elvira, Rosalva, Carlos, 
David, and Teresa. He was also the father to Johnny and the grandfather 
to 13 grandchildren.
  After nearly 30 years in the United States, he was inspired to become 
a citizen as a result of the anti-immigrant sentiment in California in 
the 1990s. He was proud to become a U.S. citizen on March 9, 1999, and 
quickly registered to vote as a Democrat. He made sure he voted in 
every election, and took pride to learn about all candidates, local 
measures, and statewide propositions to make sure he made informed 
decisions.
  Manuel was also very proud of his Mexican nationality, and frequently 
visited El Cargadero--a small town in the state of Zacatecas. He was 
instrumental in helping build a health clinic, a library with 
computers, a funeral home, and update the elementary school. For nearly 
four decades, he partnered with many Mexican government officials to 
further help improve his hometown. He spearheaded projects to build a 
bridge, expand the central plaza, build a new townhall, public 
restrooms, a new baseball stadium, and improve local infrastructure.
  Manuel was also an avid baseball fan. He was a loyal fan of the Los 
Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels. He played recreational 
baseball for many years with his brothers, and as a parent coached many 
teams for the Santa Ana Little League. In his retirement years, he 
worked part-time as a janitor at the Los Angeles Angels stadium while 
enjoying a good game--the best of two worlds.
  Mr. Garcia was a generous man who continuously found ways to give 
back to his community. His generosity reached hundreds of people and 
will be missed by friends and family. Madam Speaker, I am proud to 
recognize Manuel U. Garcia.

                          ____________________