Rosary, mass, and interment were held Saturday, May 18, in Alamosa and Monte Vista for Dr. Phyllis Mae Garcia. She was born May 30, 1936, to Modesto and Genoveva Martinez, and she passed away on April 10, 2024.

Her siblings include Loretta (Archie), Dick (Phyllis), Betty (Bob), Erna (Jerry), Modestito, Cathy (Donald), Gloria (Rex), and Rodney.

She married Felix Garcia on Jan. 17, 1955, and raised four children, Felix, Brian (Kimberly), Rich (Martha) and Cynthia. She has nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Dr. Garcia and her children lived in Alamosa in the 1970s, which is also where her children went to high school.

She attended Sargent schools, and continued her educational career after the children were born. She attended Southern Colorado State College, Taught at Sierra Grande school, obtained a Master’s Degree at Adams State College, and received her Ph.D. in Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She was a college professor at UNC, the University of Colorado Boulder and Arizona State University.

Recognized as a national expert in Bilingual Education Reading, she headlined dozens of conferences, received many awards and influenced thousands of students. From humble beginnings and not speaking English, she left a powerful and lasting legacy and was an exemplary role model for many family members to follow.