Rudy Garcia was born in West Berkeley Ca. July 9, 1932. He is the son of Serapio and Inez Garcia.
He is survived by his loving wife Gloria and their children, Grace Trujillo, Rudy Jr., Don, Loretta, Daniel and Jackie Garcia, He has 10 Grand Children and 12 Great Grand Children, Sister Gracie and Brother David.
Rudy grew up in Berkeley with his sisters Lucy & Gracie and brothers Poncho, David and Ralph. He went to school, worked with his father and attend Templo Getsemani Berkeley church with is mother regularly. He enjoyed many things Music, Surfing, Family, Church and Motorcycles. He was fascinated in making things work better go faster and make work easier especially for his family in their candy & bakery shop.
He worked at Pacific Coast Foundries in Berkeley. Where he was a machinist and Grind Castor.
After, he had a brief time in the U.S. Marines Corp.
He helped and worked in his Family’s Mexican Candy & Bakery Business. He was known to make the best pies in the shop. He would cut and cook cactus, pumpkins, help his father and assist in deliveries. But what he was most proud of was fabricationing and designing anything to make his father’s work easier.
He worked as a mechanic at Claude Salmons Harley Davidson Shop, In West Oakland in the late 50’s & 60’s. This is where he found the love for his motorcycles, Fabricating and racing. He built and raced motorcycles. He built some of the biggest and badest around. One being the Twin Engine Knuckle Head Dragster named “THE THING”. He set records at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He raced the drag stripes in Fremont, Vacaville, and Half Moon Bay. He would show his bikes often at Oakland’s Roadster Show and was showcased in several magazines.
During that time he met the love of his life Gloria, and they settled in Richmond CA with their 5 children.
He then went to work at Grandbergs International as a machinist. He worked with chain saws and chain saw accessories. He continued to design and fabricate chiropractic equipment like back straighteners and Grinders for the company. He retired in his late 70’s
He started his won business “Garcia Maintenance”. He cleaned offices in the building, making it a family affair. Everyone had a job from cleaning offices to donut shops and the Safeway soda plant.
He was a long time member of the San Pablo Eagles 3028, Richmond Moose Lodge 550 and was the President of the Richmond Junior Chamber of Commerce’s better known as the Jaycee’s. For many years he organized fund raisers for under privileged children and blood drives at the Oakland Red Cross. He would set up yearly 4th of July celebrations for the city of Richmond.
He was evolved in his family church and would attend regularly. He named Sunday s Christian Sunday. At Christmas you would see him dressed up as Santa for the children handing out candy canes. After Thanksgiving you would see him and the family at Frank’s Tree lot in Berkeley. Where everyone was busy working hard, loading, selling, putting stands on trees and having a good time. He finished the year with his New Years get together. Celebrating with Home made Cioppino.
He loved his Berkeley roots. He would visit often by driving around the neighbor hood. He would take his family to some of his favorite places to eat Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto, Granato’s Pizza and Trevino’s Mexican Restaurant.
Loved dearly and will be truly missed
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