Tributes

Raul Gerrardo Garcia Gutierrez, M.D. was welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven Friday, September 16th, at approximately 6PM at the age of 72. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, who lovingly stayed by his side until the end, two of his own children, Maria and Raul, three of Jennifer's children - whom he loved and cared for like his own - John, Aprill and Amy, and his only brother, Miguel Angel, one year his junior. Dr. Garcia was a highly respected and loved member of the San Antonio medical community. An Obstetrician & Gynecologist who practiced for over 40 years, Dr. Garcia cared for an innumerable number of patients on San Antonio's Southside, delivering little bundles of joy to countless mothers over the course of his career. Known for his jovial nature and ease to speak with, all of Dr. Garcia's patients spoke very highly of him; indeed, in later years, many of his patients were actually babies he had delivered years' prior that were now coming to him for their own pre-natal health care, something that speaks volume to the professionalism that Dr. Garcia showed over the years. Among his colleagues, Dr. Garcia was an ethical, intelligent, humble and respectful physician who always put his patients' needs above all else, particularly helping those who may not have had the means to receive proper healthcare elsewhere. His work ethos and character will be missed. Dr. Garcia was born in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on August 5th, 1944, the son of a housewife, Yolanda, and a pilot, Raul Garcia Mercado. Raul's father was actually a pilot in Mexico's Air Force, specifically as one of the famed pilots in Mexico's 201st Fighter Squadron that saw action during WWII in the Philippines; this squadron was the only squadron from Mexico that fought during WWII, directly under the ultimate command of General Douglas MacArthur, Commander of the Allied Forces in the South Pacific. Unfortunately, his father passed away when Raul was 7 years old, leaving behind his brother, Miguel Angel, his sister, Yolanda, his mother, and Raul himself. As a result of this, Raul's family struggled; however, because their mother wanted the absolute best for them, the children still attended the best schools on reduced tuition on condition that they remain at the top of their class. Throughout their scholastic career, all the children, but particularly Raul and his brother, Miguel, excelled in school; ultimately, Raul chose to attend medical school in Monterrey, then decided to make the move to the United States to complete his residency and fellowships. Having settled in the San Antonio area, Raul and his then wife, Amelia, welcomed two children to the world - Maria de los Angeles and Raul Jr. Currently, Maria is a housewife; Raul Jr. owns a small advertising agency in San Antonio, is married to his wife, Katie, and has two kids - Lukas and Liam. As is sometimes the case, however, some marriages simply do not last for any number of reasons. Fortunately, Raul was lucky enough to find love again, as he married Jennifer in the late 1980's, and, again, treated her kids - and their own kids - as his own, caring for and loving them as best he could. John, the eldest, is currently a probation officer in San Antonio, is married to Lisa, and has two kids, Johnathon and Kayla; Aprill has one son, Corbin, and works in the healthcare field; lastly, Amy is a registered nurse RN and is engaged to be married. Raul lived his life to the fullest; he lived his life with a purpose; he lived his life for others. A husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a doctor - Raul wore many faces and wore them well. He will be mourned, he will be missed, he will be celebrated, but, above all else, he will be remembered as a genuinely good man. A Rosary will be held at Mission Park Funeral Chapels North on 3401 Cherry Ridge Monday, September 26th, at 7PM; a mass will then be held Tuesday, at 10AM, at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church on 1710 Clower Street, with a reception to follow. We also ask that, in lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Heart Association in Raul's name.

Tributes

Raul Gerardo Garcia-Gutierrez

August 5, 1944 - September 16, 2016