October 28, 2021

 

Berta and Eduardo “Eddie” Garcia ’70 raised their daughters to appreciate the value of a quality education. So when it came time to discuss college, the winning choice was clear—and heavily incentivized by Eddie. “I told them, ‘You can go to school wherever you want,’ he joked, ‘but I’ll cover all expenses if you attend Texas A&M University!’”
 

“We’ve been blessed throughout our lives, and I’ve always believed in giving back to help future generations obtain a quality education.”
Eduardo “Eddie” Garcia ’70

Three Aggie rings later, Eddie, Berta and their daughters, Rebecca ’98, Rosella ’00 and Rubiana ’03, are honoring Aggieland’s impact in their lives by planning gifts for future generations of Aggies.

Setting the Standard

Raised in Laredo, Texas, Berta and Eddie learned early on that higher education was the path to opportunity. Berta, the first in her family to receive a degree, earned her bachelor’s in English with a minor in Spanish from Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University) and her master’s in education from Corpus Christi State University (now Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi). She taught high school for 30 years before retiring and joining Eddie as an agent in his financial services business. They resided in Corpus Christi for 40 years where they raised their three daughters.

Eddie’s parents, Eduardo Sr. and Emilia Rodriguez Garcia, and his uncle, Victor Rodriguez ’45, inspired his college journey. A woman before her time, Emilia graduated from college in the early 1940s, while Eduardo served in the Navy. His mother’s example as an educator coupled with war stories of his father’s and uncle’s bravery and service led Eddie to Aggieland. Victor was among those who defended the island of Corregidor in Manila Bay during World War II, and he appears in the famous photo of the Aggies who mustered there in 1946.
 

"We hope our sons will learn from our generosity and use these assets to also pay it forward to other Aggies, continuing our family legacy."
Rubi Mares ’03

Today, Rubi and Efrain exemplify generosity for their sons, Mateo and Tomas, by planning gifts from their life insurance policies. Rubi’s gift will provide a scholarship to South Texas students in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism Sciences, where she hopes future Aggies will experience the same impact the curriculum had on her. Efrain’s scholarship for Company G-1 cadets from Laredo will allow others like him to enjoy the camaraderie he appreciated during his time in Aggieland.

“I’ve always tried to lead by example,” Rubi shared. “It stems from my grandmother, who instilled in us the importance of giving back to our communities.” While Emilia planted the first seed of generosity years ago, Berta, Eddie, Becky, Rosella, Rubi and Efrain have ensured that the Garcia family legacy flourishes today.

“My parents generously gifted prepaid life insurance policies to our boys to help them fund their own college educations—hopefully at Texas A&M,” Rubi smiled. “We hope our sons will learn from our generosity and use these assets to also pay it forward to other Aggies, continuing our family legacy.”

Ready to begin your family’s Aggieland legacy like the Garcias? Contact Kevin Westerman '11 at the bottom of this page.