Richard was born on September 3‚ 1967 to Leonard and Mary Garza. He was the baby of five kids in the family. Richard would tease the rest of us saying ‘it took mom and dad five times to get it right.’ Richard was 19 years old when the accident that took his life happened. Still under the guidance of his parents‚ he lived those 19 years of life to the fullest. He was a senior in High School and he played trombone as a member of the Willcox High School Marching Band. He loved his trombone. In the years previous to his high school days the band was playfully known as the ‘Marching 100’. When he became a member the band he always said proudly they were the ‘Dirty 30’

Still in high school‚ he became a member of the Willcox Volunteer Fire Department. Why not? Dad had been the Fire Chief (retired) and it was his way of helping out in the community. At his young age‚ Richard was able to attend Fire conventions and learn techniques in fighting fires and saving lives.

For fun‚ he loved to ride his motorcycle. That was his baby.

Richard was taken from us 20 minutes into the New Year of 1987. He and some friends had gone to a New Year’s Eve party in a nearby farming community. On their return‚ they came upon a rollover accident in the middle of the road; Richard and his friends stopped to give medical attention.

In Richard’s attempt to warn an oncoming vehicle‚ he was struck and killed upon impact when the driver lost control as he swerved the same direction Richard ran to escape its path.

You never get over a tragic loss of one so young. But the memories will always be there.