CHARLES “CHARLIE” GARCIA
Charles “Charlie” Garcia, 80, of Tulare, California, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on July 5, 2026, at Adventist Health Tulare.
Charlie was born on March 27, 1946, in Tulare, California, to Jose Ruiz Garcia and Lydia Cota Garcia. He was raised alongside his eleven siblings in a close-knit family and attended Tulare Union High School. Charlie later worked as a skilled cement mason.
He is survived by his siblings: Gloria E. Cordova, John P. Garcia, Lidia Huerta, Ronald R. Garcia, Robert C. Garcia, Caroline C. Munoz, David Garcia, Sandra R. Sepeda, and Rick Garcia. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph C. Garcia and Larry Garcia.
Charlie was a devoted father to Charlene A. Herrera, Charles B. Garcia, and Raquel J. Joaquin. He is also survived by his eldest son, Doug Alviso. Nothing brought Charlie greater happiness than his family. He was a proud grandfather to eight grandchildren and a beloved great-grandfather to two twin boys. His greatest joy was simply being with his family—sharing stories, laughing together, and creating funny memories that will be cherished forever.
In his younger years, Charlie was an outstanding baseball player and pitcher whose talent earned him recognition on a local Tulare radio station. He was also an exceptional pool player and horseshoe pitcher, earning front-page photo and recognition in the Tulare Advance-Register with a photograph of him pitching a horseshoe during a tournament.Another favorite pastime was whittling and handcrafting little wooden sailboats, creating treasured keepsakes and gifts that reflected both his creativity and generous spirit.
Music was one of Charlie’s greatest joys. He especially loved bubblegum oldies and never tired of listening to his favorite songs on cassette tapes , MP3 player and later on his Alexa. He was also an incredible dancer whose smooth moves and natural rhythm made him the life of the dance floor. Handsome, stylish, charismatic, and quietly confident, Charlie was known as quite the ladies’ man in his younger years. It was his dancing skills and his smile that first caught the attention of Bernadette, the mother of three of his children.
Charlie faced life’s challenges with remarkable strength. Even through years of health issues, he rarely complained. Instead, he chose gratitude, laughter, and love, always finding something positive in every situation. His family will forever remember his signature sayings: “Oh boy!” “Give me some skin!” “Go head on, mijito!” “Go head on, mijita!” and “I’ll be darn!” while smiling ear to ear. They will also remember his warm handshakes, hugs with a pat on the back, affectionate nicknames, and the genuine way he made everyone feel welcomed, loved, and important.
Although health issues made it difficult for Charlie to attend church regularly in his later years, his faith never left him. As a young man, he attended Tulare Apostolic Church led by his grandfather, Reverend Epifanio M. Cota and his grandmother Guadalupe H. Cota. This is where the foundation of his relationship with God was established. Sundays still remained special to him, and he often asked Alexa to play praise and worship music. In the days leading up to his passing, Charlie was lovingly captured on video praising the Lord and joyfully singing “When the Saints Go Marching In.” That precious memory has become a lasting source of comfort and peace for his family, knowing that his heart remained steadfast in his faith until the very end.
Charlie will be remembered for his loving heart, gentle spirit, infectious laugh, resilience, and deep love for his children, grandchildren, family, and friends. He taught those around him that no matter how difficult life became, there was always a reason to laugh, and be thankful for another day.
Though our hearts are broken, we are forever grateful for the eighty years we were blessed to share with him. His love, laughter, generosity, perseverance, and faith left an everlasting imprint on the lives of everyone who knew him. His legacy will continue to live on through his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, extended family, and the countless friends whose lives he touched.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Peers-Lorentzen Funeral Chapel, 132 W. Kern Avenue, Tulare, California. Interment will immediately follow at Norh Tulare Public Cemetery,4572 J Street, Tulare California. Family and friends are warmly invited to celebration of life reception at the TDES Hall, 515 N. I Street, Tulare California.