James "Jim" Phillip Garcia

James “Jim” Phillip Garcia, age 79 years, shared his final act of pure, selfless love and passed away peacefully on May 28, 2024, surrounded by his five daughters and other family members (brother, sister, nephew and son-in-law). Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Phillip and Luisa Garcia; brother, Frank; and aunt Kay Ayala. Jim was a loving son, brother, grandson, primo, nephew, padrino, friend and what he cherished the most, being a proud Girl Dad and Grandpa! He was born on March 6, 1945, in Garden City, Kansas, to Phillip and Luisa Garcia. As the eldest of five children, Jim dutifully assumed the patriarch role of his family at a very young age of 12 years old after his Dad Phillip’s untimely passing in 1957 at age 39 from a heart condition. Special permission was granted by Finney County which enabled Jim to take the Kansas Driver’s License exam at age 12 so he could help drive his Mother, Luisa, to work and he and his siblings to school. Jim also began working for Southwest Carpet and Tile at age 12 in Garden City in order to support his Mom, Luisa, as she worked outside of the home to raise the children as a young widow. Fortunately, the extended family members of the Garcia’s and many other family friends who lived near Jim’s family on Santa Fe Street rallied around them with tremendous support and strengthened the unbreakable bonds that hold them close to this day. Despite being thrust into difficult circumstances at such a young age, Jim leaned in and it set the course for him to help others and advocate for them throughout his entire life. After graduating from Garden City High School in 1963 as a proud Buffalo, Jim moved to Wichita with his Mom, Luisa, and his four siblings to join other Garcia family members who had previously moved to Wichita to work and call home. Jim attended Wichita State University and studied drafting and structural engineering. During his time as a WSU student, Jim met Carmen, whose parents, Connie and Ralph Lopez, owned Connie’s Mexico Café. Jim and Carmen married in 1970 and had five daughters and five grandkids together. Jim worked many years for the late architect Dick Hartwell of Hartwell-Jantz Engineering in Wichita. He then worked for the City of Wichita as a Commercial Building Inspector. Jim loved his role working as a building inspector to ensure that critical public safety access and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were always in compliance so that people could be safe, regardless of ability or disability. Jim also volunteered his time to do building inspections for nonprofit organizations such as AbilityPoint, Wichita Habitat for Humanity, and could always be counted on to help family and friends with their home and business construction projects and renovations. Jim’s expertise was beyond measure and he was so precise in his measurements, always ensuring the life-safety issues were firmly in place. Being the proud Girl Dad and Grandpa that he was, it was not uncommon for Jim to march right up to the very front of an event that one of his daughters or grandkids were participating in. If it was a First Communion for one of his grandkids, Jim was the first person to walk right up to capture the perfect picture of them. Graduations, swearing-in ceremonies, award ceremonies, Baptisms and beyond, Jim was always there to celebrate his family and take pictures to make sure the memories were never forgotten. Jim’s favorite hobby was fishing and he loved the spring spawning season. He was always ready to catch a large-mouth bass! Always an avid fisherman, Jim loved to take his daughters, grandkids, nieces, nephews, great nephews, and friends out on his famous fishing adventures at his fishing lease near Garden Plain, Cassoday, and Harvey County East Lake. He always made it a point to take pictures of his beloved family and friends after they caught their big fish to show as proof! Jim was very active in his community serving as Chairman of the Kansas Advisory Board of Hispanic Affairs under then Kansas Governor John Carlin and years later, as an active member and steward of the SEIU union. Jim was a longtime member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, Chairman of the Parish Council for a number of years and was most recently leading the Church parking lot expansion project. Jim was proud to serve as a fourth degree Knight of Columbus and lived out his faith through his family, parish and community. Jim is survived by his five daughters; Monique Garcia of Wichita, Sonia A. Garcia of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Delia R. Garcia of San Antonio, Texas, Carmen Garcia (Salvador) Renteria and Adele Jordan of Wichita; mother of his daughters, Carmen Rosales; brother Ernest “Ernie” (Amy) Garcia of Overland Park, Kansas; Alvina Reyes Otero (Lupe Otero) of Garden City, Kansas, and Ana Garcia Farinas (Rudy Farinas) of Phoenix, Arizona; five grandchildren, Esabela Renteria, Sophia Jordan, Estevan Renteria, Vincent Jordan and Eva Jordan; six nieces and nephews, Trisha Rael, Phillip Garcia, Bianca Martich, Nick Farinas, Xavier Farinas and Dominic Farinas; and many great nieces and nephews; and Beverly Rogers. Donations may be made to AbilityPoint, 2919 West 2nd Street North, Wichita, Kansas 67203, a nonprofit that Jim was very fond of and that has helped one of Jim’s granddaughters Bela over the years. Rosary will be 9:30 am, Funeral Mass 10:00 am, both on Monday, June 3, 2024, St. Anthony Catholic Church, Wichita, Kansas. Services in care of Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.