Obituary of David Tautimez Garcia

David Tautimez Garcia died peacefully at home on November 13, 2017 in Hollister, CA at the age of 71.

He was born on November 12, 1946 in Mesa, AZ, the 7th of 8 children, born to Ernesto Soria Garcia and Carlota Lopez Tautimez of Sonorita.  He is preceded in death by both parents and siblings; Delia G. Duran, Velia G. Aguilar, Ernest T. Garcia and Herardo T. Garcia.

He is survived by siblings, Celia T. Buchinski of Tucson AZ, Frank T. Garcia of Oakley CA and Venancia (Daniel) Avalos of Merced CA and sister-in-law Lana Garcia. He leaves behind many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews as well as great-grandnieces and great grandnephews.

When David was a young boy, the family moved from Arizona to Merced California where he attended grade school.  A few years later, the family moved to Cupertino where he graduated from Homestead High School in 1965.

After graduating, David enlisted in the Army, bravely serving in Viet Nam.  He was stationed in Fort Jackson, SC, Germany, Ft. Lewis, WA and Ft. Ord, CA and honorably discharged December 1975.  He settled back home in Cupertino working several jobs in the area until he obtained a position with the Santa Clara County Department of Revenue and later at the Tax Assessor’s office as a Deputy Tax Collector. He retired from the County after more than 25 years of employment. 

Over the years, David encouraged his nieces and nephews to pursue their goals, taking some of them under his wing.  Mentoring and pushing them to achieve more, he treated them all as the children he himself never had. He wiped many tears, bandaged many scraped knees, spanked a few behinds and passed along his wonderful humor and love of music.

In 1986 he purchased a home in Hollister which he lovingly named “The Tee Pee”.  Generous individual that he was, he offered it, food and clothing to family and friends in times of need. He made many close friends at work that became like family to him. Family meant everything to David as he hosted many Pow-Wow Family reunions in his home, keeping the ties as tightly “knotted” as possible, maintaining family values passed on to him by his mother.

A Native American/Military graveside service is scheduled for Saturday, December 2, 2017 at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos at 1:00 pm.  All are welcome to attend and celebrate David’s life.

In lieu of flowers the family request any monetary contributions be made to the Viet Nam Veterans of America.