Roll Call Tribute

Luis Ramirez Garza, Sr. 

August 19, 1925 - February 1, 2025 

99 years of life and love.

Luis Ramirez Garza, Sr., a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother. Luis R. Garza was born August 19, 1925 to his father, Pablor Garza Garza and mother Felipa Ramirez Garza. He went to the Lord on Saturday February 1, 2025 with family by his side.

As a child, he spent time with family in Monterrey, MX. He also helped his father at the farmers market purchasing produce for the family store. Before school, he would take a little red wagon up and down the streets selling fruits. After school, he would help his parents at the store or help his uncle sell food at the Market Square. His uncle would pay a nickel for lunch which he would use to buy his favorite ice cream. Later he attended Hawthorn Junior School and graduated from San Antonio Vocational and Technical School. He later attended trade school studying radio repair.

On November 16, 1943, Luis enlisted into the Army Air Corp. He became a bottom ball turret gunner on a B17 Flying Fortress. He was stationed out of Kimbolton with the 379th Bomb Group known at the Triangle K. His plane, the Red Dragon, repeatedly bombed Germany. As a gunner, he shot a German Messerschmitt Me 262 killing the pilot. The Red Dragon was shot down twice but was able to land in Belgium. The second time the Red Dragon was unable to be repaired and flown back to England. The crew decided to stay together but broke up when they were not assigned a plan. Luis Garza was discharged from Randolf Field on January 4, 1946.

With the GI Bill, he attended Texas A & M College and graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1950. He personally knew the professors that many of the buildings are named after. From there he worked in Dallas and was part of the American GI Forum supporting Hispanic rights. Two years later, he moved back to San Antonio and began working at Southwest Research Institute. There he worked on the Mercury I capsule and retired proofread the Columbia Shuttle Disaster Report. He also received several patents including the redesign of the M16 barrel. Upon retirement, he and his wife Olga Garza took a trip through Europe. Sitting in a restaurant in Portugal, the Portugal President invited them to join him at his table, a fantastic experience.

As a loving husband, for 12 years he took care of his wife recovering from lung cancer. Later, he then cared for his sister Carman Garza Pfenninger. Luis Ramirez Garza, Sr. is preceded in death by his Father Pablo Garza, his mother Felipa Garza and his siblings brother Pable R Garza deceased, sister Elvira Leal deceased, Carman Garza Pfenninger deceased. He is remembered in life by his children Luis R Garza, Jr., Oscar R. Garza, and Leticia Garza Rodriguez, and his grandchildren, Victoria Lynn Garza, Jaquelynn Rodriguez and Luis Robert Garza, III. He is also survived by his nephews Luis Pablo Garza, David J Leal, Adrian C Leal and Daniel H Leal.

He was a proud descendant of Spanish Conquistadors and the founding families of Monterrey, Mexico (1596). He was a proud member of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic church and St. Luke's Catholic Church where his children attended and was school president and CYO coach. He was also a proud member of the Leon Valley Optimist Club.

The Rosary will be held at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home, 6321 Bandera Road, San Antonio, Texas 78238 on Wednesday February 12th, 2025 at 7:00pm. Visitation will be between 6:00pm – 9:00pm.The funeral Mass will be held at St. Luke Catholic Church on Thursday February 13, 2025 at 10:00am. Interment will be at San Fernando 2.