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Rubén García, III passed away on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at San Antonio, Texas. . He was born in El Paso, Texas on May 17, 1947 to Rubén García, Jr. (1922-2001) and Margarita Rios Lozano de Garcia (1922-2004). His sisters are Maria Margarita, Rosalinda and Nina Victoria. Rubén attended elementary schools at St. Mary’s Academy (Amarillo, Texas), Our Lady of Refuge (Eagle Pass, Texas), Moorehead and St. Patrick’s in El Paso, Texas. He attended Eagle Pass High School for his first three years and graduated from Pacific High School in San Bernadino, California in 1965. He attended San Bernadino Junior College and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) for his freshman year in college. He graduated from Del Mar College with an Associate’s Degree in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1967. He graduated with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin in May 31, 1969. Upon their mutual graduation from UT Austin, he and Carmen Caballero, whom he had initially met in his sophomore year at Eagle Pass High School, were married on June 8, 1965. They had two daughters, Isabel Lizette Garcia and Lisa Diane Garcia. Rubén began his business career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in June of 1969 under the Initial Managerial Development Program (IMDP) beginning as a manager in Abilene, Texas in their business office. He had several managerial positions during his 22 ½ year career, retiring in San Antonio on December 31, 1991 as a third level manager. He has always felt his greatest contribution while at Southwestern Bell was his role in the creation of an internal organization, HACEMOS (Hispanic Association of Communication Employees) in 1988. An organization open to all active/retired employees with emphasis on the Community, Employee and Corporation. After his retirement he became an officer of the North American Funding Company (06/93 – 10/98); Assistant Executive Director of the ¡Adelante!, U.S. Education Leadership Fund (11/98 – 01/2002); a Human Resource Consultant (01/01 – 08/02); Assistant Employment Manager at the Alamo Community College District (11/02 – 08/04); Human Resource Manager at C.C. Garcia & Co., P.C. (11/04 – 11/06) and Owner and President of Heritage Oaks Insurance from December 2006 to 2014. With regard to his community involvement during his business career at Southwestern Bell, he was a member and vice-president of the San Antonio Mexican Chamber of Commerce (1970 - 1973, 1988 – 1991). He held several officer positions: VP – Research Development (1977); VP – Administration (1978); Vice President – Programs (1980). He was also President Elect (1981) and President (1982) of the San Antonio Personnel and Management Association. Rubén was a Board Member of the San Antonio Private Industry Council as from 1984 – 1988; Board Member of the San Antonio Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse (1986 – 1992); Board Chair of the National Hispanic Council for the Aged (1993); Board member of the San Antonio Independent Living Services (1994) and was a Board Member and Chair for Mavagi Enterprises, a non-profit organization seeking employment for the Disabled from 2002 – 2008. Rubén’s Family was recognized as a Top Five Texas Finalist for the Hispanic Family of the Year in 1989 by the Hispanic Magazine. Rubén leaves behind his wife, Carmen Caballero; daughter, Isabel Owen and her husband, Philip Jacobs, M.D.; and five wonderful grandchildren, of whom he is very proud: Cameron Alan Owen, Caitlin Ashley Owen, Chandler Allison Owen, Carys Avery Owen and Callyn Alyssa Owen and their father, Craig Alan Owen; his sisters, Mary Margaret Garcia and Rosalinda Garcia Miller and her husband, George and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Maria C. Buescher and her husband, David C. Buescher M.D. and their two sons Brian and Christian Buescher; and brother-in-law Gustavo Caballero and his wife Meriam Feliu and numerous nieces and nephews. Rubén was very grateful for the long life he has lived especially considering that from May 1985 until January 1992 he suffered numerous disabilities which could have taken his life. These included brain aneurysm surgery, two heart attacks, 3 epileptic seizures and comas, kidney dialysis, kidney transplant and severe blood clots. His attitude was to wake up each morning with a smile and a thank you for another day to better himself and his surrounding. While he kept to himself he cherished his friends, associates and the many people he knew. With his passing, Rubén has now re-united with his father, mother, daughter, Lisa, sister, Nina Victoria Garcia Locke, sister-in-law, Cecilia Caballero, father-in-law, Gustavo Caballero and mother-in-law, Mary T. Caballero. He also hopes he will be seeing his animal companions in his life, which he cherished, Rusty (1947 – 1961); Lucey (1963 – 1966); Tostada (1972 – 1986) Leonardo de Vinci (1988 – 1995); Jackie (1989 – 1991) and Fraggle/Boomer (mother/son) basset hounds (1995 – 2003). Rather than flowers, Rubén requests that contributions be made to the San Antonio Humane Society at 4804 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX 78229. Visitation will begin Monday, June 12 at 5:30 P.M. followed by the Rosary at 7:00 P.M. at Mission Park Funeral Chapels North. The Funeral Mass will begin at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, June 13, at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church on 10703 Wurzbach Road. Interment will follow at Mission Burial Park North.

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Rubén Garcia III

May 17, 1947 - June 6, 2023