Sophia Garcia-Robles

Sophia GarciaRobles, 62, of Santa Cruz, California, passed quietly in the intensive care unit of the University of New Mexico Medical Center on Friday, November 5, 2010 where she had been for three weeks, following a terrible auto accident in New Mexico while on her way to Santa Fe.

Funeral services are set for 10:30 am, Friday, November 19, 2010 at Saint Johns Catholic Church in Borger, Texas with Monsignor Michael Colwell officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Park Cemetery in Borger. A Rosary will be said at 6:30 pm on Thursday, November 18, 2010 at St. Johns Catholic Church.

Sophia was born on May 19, 1948 in Borger Texas, to Octaviano Pete and Conception Connie Robles Garcia. Sopha served as a volunteer there for Head Start. She later worked as a VISTA volunteer in Chicago, for the Art Institute of Chicago, San Jose State University, Alameda County Social Service Agency and UC Santa Cruz. Sophia touched many lives during her 27 years at UC Santa Cruz where she served as a financial aid adviser, mentor and was a tireless advocate for low income and immigrant students.

Sopha had an eclectic array of interests and talents. She was involved in theater in Chicago, was a book binder, clown, and loved movies, music, art and Scrabble. A natural leader, Sopha was charismatic, powerful, genuine and enormously generous. She was involved in the ChicanoLatino, American Indian and womens communities, and was a supporter of the United Farm Workers and attended Cesar Chvezs funeral in 1993. Sopha was an active member of the Santa Cruz Indian Council and helped organize the annual Red Road Pow Wow. She regularly volunteered for El Teatro Campesino and for the Santa Fe Indian Market. Annually, she helped cook community holiday meals and assisted low income Spanish speaking families prepare their taxes. Sopha was a donor, volunteer and former board member of the Santa Cruz Womens Health Center. She recently found a home for her powerful singing voice as a member of the Santa Cruz Missionary Baptist Church Chorale.

Sophia was preceded in death by her parents, her maternal grandparents, Maria and Jose Robles and paternal grandparents, Adan and Sofia Garcia and sixteen aunts and uncles on both sides of the family.

She is survived by two sisters, Olivia MartinezAbshire and husband Larry, of Floresville, Texas and Yvonne Payne and husband Ron of Borger, Texas two brothers, Dan Garcia and wife Kathy of Wichita Falls, Texas and Junior Garcia of Denton, Texas. She is also survived by five nieces and nephews, Ralph and Adam Martinez, Duncan and Danielle Garcia, Katy Garcia, Lauren Monden and Ronay Bach. She was also survived by three aunts, Susan Mujica of Garden City, Kansas, Bea George of Houston, Texas and Theresa Vazquez of San Antonio, Texas and several greatnieces and nephews.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts or SWAIA, Attn: Linda Off, PO Box 969, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504.

Visitation

St. Johns Catholic Church
201 St. John's Rd
Borger, TX  79007
Thursday, November 18, 2010
6:30 p.m.

Service

Memorial Mass

St. Johns Catholic Church
201 St. John's Rd.
Borger, TX  79007
Friday, November 19, 2010
10:30 a.m.

Cemetery

Highland Park CemeteryH
931 Sterling St.
Borger, TX  79007

Memorial Contributions

Attn: Linda Off
Santa Fe, NM  87504