Risalda Garza

Risalda Garza passed away January 27, 2019. We will gather for the reciting of the Holy Rosary at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 30, 2019, followed by a time of sharing and fellowship from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life of 83 years at 2 p.m. on Thursday, January 31, 2019, at Christ the King Cathedral.Risalda Garza was born on December 29, 1935, to Eduardo and Adelaida Zertuche Gutiérrez in Brady, Texas. Upon graduating from Brady high school in 1954, Risalda made the move to Brownfield, TX, with her parents and younger brother. She assisted her parents in opening and operating a Dry Goods store known as “Model Dry Goods”. She began to attend classes at Texas Tech College and later graduated from Draughn’s business College”. While working in Brownfield, she met a young man by the name of James Garza from Wichita Falls, TX, who had recently relocated to Brownfield working for the Western Union telegraph company. Risalda married James Garza on July 21, 1957, in Brownfield at St. Anthony Catholic Church.Risalda and James eventually moved and settled in Lubbock in 1964. The majority of her employment was in Spanish language translation for the Small Business Administration during the aftermath of the May 11, 1970 tornadoes.  Risalda worked for the Small Business administration, but then found her calling and committed to be the parish secretary at Christ the King Cathedral for the next 28 years. She retired from Christ the King Cathedral where she was the receptionist.She was president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in the late 60s alongside her husband who was president of the Lubbock chapter of LULAC. She enjoyed a life filled with sewing, quilting, cooking and decorating for the Holidays.Risalda was very involved with numerous church organizations and never hesitated to volunteer. She was also a valuable bilingual interpreter for the church as well as medical services. She will be missed dearly by everyone.Survivors include her husband, James Arthur Garza; their children, James Anthony Garza; and Gary and Venita Garza; grandchildren, Brady, Dawson, and Colton Garza; brother, Eduardo Gutiérrez, Jr., and wife, Lupita.