Consuelo Garcia

Consuelo Garcia, age 92, of Grand Rapids, Michigan passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at her home on Tuesday, September 24^th.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alejandro and Victoria Martinez; son, Hector Guillen; brothers, Eustaquio, Alejandro, Felipe, and Ramiro; grandchildren, Isaisas Mata Jr., Melissa Rae Brougham, Estovan Griffin; and great-grandson, Adrian Guillen. 

Consuelo was born on February 9^th 1932 in Port Isabel, Texas. Consuelo was a pillar of strength and resilience. A woman of God, faith and family. These attributes led to her role in her community. Consuelo led a life of service to others. She began her career at Roosevelt Head Start to make sure students had a great start to academic success. She was an advocate for education. While working to provide for her own family, she attended night classes at Grand Rapids Community College and Wayne State. Next, she gave nearly quarter of a century of her life to the students of Grand Rapids Public Schools, where she left a lasting impact on each one of them. Her students described her as motivator and mentor. Consuelo also worked summers for the Summer Migrant program tutoring students of migrant families. After retirement, Consuelo went on to work for Catholic Charities at Casa de la Paz, a home for women and children who escaped domestic violence. She taught them tools to overcome their challenges and to persevere. Consuelo was never one to remain idle. Consuelo is known to her community to have an open-door policy. One could come in for a visit, advice, a prayer, a plate of food, or a place to lay their head. Many have come through her door on Francis Street.  During her spare time, one could find Consuelo watching football and cheering on her beloved Dallas Cowboys, quilting blankets, reading, tending to her flowers in her yard, or sitting on her porch doing puzzles while keeping a watchful eye on her neighborhood. She will be dearly missed in her community, but her legacy will live on in all those whom she touched. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Consuelo will be affectionately remembered by those she leaves behind: her children, Reyes Guillen (Josie), Wenceslao Guillen (Maria), Cecilia Esquivel (Pepe), Patricia Kirt (James), Irma Mata (Isaisas), Velia Guillen, Inez Brougham, Ana Laura Belmares (Everado), Maria de Loudres, Amelia Garcia, Danette Garcia, and Santia Delgado; thirty-eight grandchildren; ninety-nine great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 am Tuesday, October 1^st at Our Lady of Sorrows, 101 Hall St. SE, Grand Rapids, with Fr. Ted Kozlowski officiating.  Burial will be held at Resurrection Cemetery.  Relatives and friends may meet the family Monday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at MKD Stegenga Funeral Chapel, 3131 Division Avenue S, Wyoming, MI, where the rosary will be prayed at 7:30 p.m.

Those who wish may make memorial contributions to St. Jude’s Hospital or Faith Hospice.