Hector Estuardo Garcia passed away on February 16, 2026, after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his spouse, Olga Garcia, and his children, Aida Garcia-Franks, Gabriela Ybarra, and Estuardo Garcia. 

Hector’s life began on September 10, 1956, in Guatemala City, Guatemala. He was the first child of Carlos Garcia Urrea and Sara Marina Rhodas and the younger stepbrother of  Verena Santamaria and Edwin “Tune” Pacheco. He was the older brother of Sara Carolina Garcia. 

Hector spent his formative years as a creative and imaginative child, often making up his own games or building his own toys. Sometimes that creativity led to some questionable, if not dangerous, choices, but it was all in the name of discovery. As his parents divorced, he found comfort and stability with the Galvez family, who counted him as an adopted son. This was a relationship that he would continue to honor to the end. 

As he got older, he began to channel that creativity into art and music, often drawing his favorite wrestlers, like El Santo, in the margins of his catechism book. He also taught himself how to play the guitar and would often serenade the neighborhood. One day, in the summer of 1973, those dulcet tones reached the ears of Olga Janet Berducido Samayoa. After a few years of courtship, they would be married on May 7, 1977. 

In 1986, fearing for his family's safety, the Garcias immigrated from Guatemala to the United States. He would often share the story that they came to the US with a holy trinity: Three kids, three suitcases and $3,000. The first few years in the United States, the Garcias lived in Chicago, IL. In 1990, Hector was hired at Hallmark Cards. The family moved to Kansas City, where they would permanently take root in Lenexa. 

His career gave him an outlet for his creativity. For 25 years, he designed and created things for Hallmark – from greeting cards to store design and displays. 

Outside of work, Hector was a prolific painter. He loved watercolors, pencil sketching, and even embraced digital illustration. He loved jazz music and taught himself how to play many instruments. These two loves culminated in some of his proudest works. In 2021, his idea, “Jazz: The Resilient Spirit of Kansas City,” was selected for a KC Streetcar Wrap. In 2022, the Parade of Hearts selected two ideas for their inaugural launch. One heart continued with his Jazz theme. The other heart was meant to symbolize a golden locket.  This heart is now housed near Gretchen’s Garden for Heroes at Midwest Transplant. 

He successfully raised three children with his loving wife. But he really found his calling as a grandpa. There was no diaper too poopy, no shirt without spit up, and no face too silly to bring laughter and joy to his six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

In his retirement, he traveled the globe with Olga. They continued to build on their love by visiting different countries such as Austria, Germany, Czech Republic as well as many others.  

When in the States, he loved spending time with family at his “casita”. There was no home project he wasn’t willing to tackle, including room renovations and even major electrical work. He would also find so much joy in helping his wife in the garden, beautifying their home.  He was a true Renaissance man. 

Hector was preceded in death by his father and mother, as well as his brother, Dr. Armando & Aida Galvez, and Juan Ramon Galvez. He is survived by his spouse, children, six grandchildren – Maya Garcia, Cruz Ybarra Jr., Isiah and Josiah Ybarra, Elia and Mateo Franks, and two great-grandchildren, Judah Bell, Mylo Garcia.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge.

Any donations for the Kansas City Hope Lodge can be mailed to:

American Cancer Society Hope Lodge 

1120 Pennsylvania Ave

Kansas City, MO 64105 

Please write “in memory of Hector Garcia” in the donation. 

A message from Ricardo A. Flores, childhood friend.

Hola, Olguita. Si acá estoy triste por la partida de Péctor, ya me imagino cómo están ustedes. Aún así, me atrevo a enviarles este mensaje y mi abrazo espiritual, a ti, como su compañera y cómplice en la vida, a quien él cuidó con tanto amor y fue igualmente cuidado. ¡Misión cumplida!  

A sus hijos, nietos y bisnietos, a quienes no conozco, les doy las condolencias por alguien especial que conocí, sano como pocos, incapaz de malos pensamientos hacia el prójimo, alegre y bromista como ninguno (ayer estuvimos bromeando en una de las videollamadas en la tarde), artista excepcional, pero especialmente un ejemplo de ciudadano, portador de una caballerosidad no fingida, afectuoso y sonriente con todos, con una combinación de ojos y mente fuera de serie, capaz de interpretar formas y figuras por donde pasaba. ¿Se imaginan con qué ojos verá e interpretará las bellezas del paraíso? 

Todos lo vimos sufrir, ustedes más que nadie, pero con paz interior, siempre con esperanza, con un estoicismo bien entendido. Eso es señal de que su espíritu es grande, fuerte, viejo, y ahora que no cargará con la pesada carga de un cuerpo enfermo volará muy alto y muy lejos, donde moran los espíritus superiores.  

¡Conocieron ustedes un padre, un abuelo, un bisabuelo ejemplar! ¡Yo sé que nunca lo olvidarán! Hoy lo lloran porque está muy cerca, reciente, su partida, pero en la medida que pase un tiempo verán que la separación es relativa porque siempre los acompañará y lo tendrán presente todos los días de su vida. ¡Que la Luz Divina lo alcance y se derrame sobre todos ustedes! 

Hello, Olguita. I am sad about Héctor’s passing; I can only imagine how you all are. Even so, I send you this message and my spiritual embrace: to you, as his partner and accomplice in life, whom he cared for with so much love and was equally cared for. Mission accomplished! 

To his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, whom I don’t know, I offer my condolences for someone special I knew —healthy like few others, incapable of ill thoughts toward others, cheerful and playful like no one else (yesterday we were joking during one of the video calls in the afternoon), an exceptional artist, but especially an example of a citizen, bearer of a genuine chivalry, affectionate and smiling with everyone, with an extraordinary combination of eyes and mind, able to interpret shapes and figures wherever he went. Can you imagine with what eyes he will see and interpret the beauties of paradise? 

We all saw him suffer, you more than anyone, but with inner peace, always hopeful, with a well-understood stoicism. That is a sign that his spirit is great, strong, and old, and now that he will no longer bear the heavy burden of a sick body he will fly very high and very far, where the superior spirits dwell. 

You knew an exemplary father, grandfather, and great-grandfather! I know you will never forget him! Today you mourn because his departure is very recent and close, but as time passes you will see that the separation is relative because he will always accompany you and be present every day of your lives. 

May the Divine Light reach him and pour out over all of you.