Roll of Honor

Gregory P. Garza

Gregory P. Garza

  • Firefighter
  • San Antonio Fire Department
  • Texas
  • Age: 49
  • Year of Death: 2019

Gregory P. GarzaGregory Paul Garza entered into rest on October 15, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas, doing what he loved to do. Born on April 21, 1970, in San Antonio, he was a member of the San Antonio Fire Department for 17 years and a part of the hazardous material response team. His lifelong dream after retirement was to teach firefighting classes at the local community college.

He spent hours researching firefighting training that would benefit his fellow firefighters. He loved to cook great meals for the fire shift on duty. One of the first to greet visitors for a firehouse tour, he was more than happy to explain the tools used in firefighting. He became a paramedic to help in those times the truck got to the scene before the paramedics arrived and he could begin to render aid. He would offer to work overtime during the holidays so firefighters with young children could spend the holidays with their families. The guys in the crew knew they could count on Greg to help them out.

Greg had a very giving and compassionate heart. He had a passion to save stray cats and had several cats that he rescued at home, one of which was handicapped. He befriended an elderly woman during firefighter block walks, because she told him she did not have any family to help her. He made a point to take her weekly for grocery shopping, lunch, or some other errand. He helped homeless people, buying the person lunch, shoes, or other needs. He helped neighbors and friends with random tasks and made time to go see sick friends and colleagues in the hospital. He was a great listener to his close friends.

He was a loving, kind, caring, and giving man. He was a wonderful and loving husband and a great son, brother, brother-in-law, and uncle. He had a passion for action figures, Hot Wheels, and Transformers. He was a great cook. He liked Leatherman multi-tools such as pocketknives and flashlights. He was one of a kind.

Gregory is survived by his wife, Sonia Evette Rodriguez Garza; parents, Joe O. and Bertha Garza; father-in-law, Donato G. Rodriguez; brothers, Joe A. Garza (Hope) and James A. Garza; nephews, Judge Anthony Rios and Joey E. Garza; brothers-in-law, Juan Antonio Rodriguez (Nubia) and Michael Rodriguez (Veronica); and nieces, Natalie Rodriguez, Megan Rodriguez, and Kaylin Rodriguez. Greg is also survived by numerous friends and countless others whose lives he touched. He was preceded in death by his mother-in-law, Gloria Nellie Rodriguez.

He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

  • (will not be published)

Memorial Wall

  1. Thank you for being such a great man to everyone that crossed your path. I had never shed a tear for another grown man until you were taken from us entirely way too early. Now I’m thankful you are watching over us with our heavenly father. Love ya and miss you sir.

    Your little buddy,
    Eric

    – Eric Cooper

  2. Miss you brother, love you very much. I know you’re still watching over us, as you did in life, and doing everything you can to keep us safe. – Jimmy

    – James Garza

  3. Greg was a great guy, great FF & caring person. He is missed by everyone that knew him.

    – Ray Rodriguez

  4. He sounds like a great man. I would have loved to meet him. The world needs more people like him.

    – Jose Perez

  5. Much respect to him for being a first responder and putting his life on the line. It’s sad how his wife was so sad and broken over his death that she was able to move on and move with a new man only after 6 weeks of his death. Both her and her new man have been and continue to live well off the money she received for his death.

    – J Lopez