Augustina "Tina" Garcia, 81, of Palacios passed away peacefully on February 27, 2023. She was born December 3, 1941 in Victoria County, Texas to the late Eduardo McDonald and Maria Sostenas Costante McDonald.

Tina was an only child, raised by her elderly grandfather, William McDonald, on the Lowry Ranch in Victoria. Her mother had died when Tina was two and her father was busy working on the ranch.

Her grandfather home-schooled her until she was about 13 when she went to work in a Victoria restaurant where she learned to cook, and her love for cooking began. Many loved her cooking as she always had the stove going and would cook – not just a snack – but a full meal for anyone who stopped by the house. She had no care for their age, race or status; she cooked for them all.

Her children's friends treated her house as the gathering place where they could get food..., some caring and loving as well. Her five children rejoiced in a special birthday treat of their favorite dish, custom-made exactly the way they wanted it. She became a seafood culinary expert too when her husband had a Shrimping business here in Palacios. Her tamales attained a city-wide legendary status, with folks placing orders and coming by at all times of the day.

She was a natural care-giver, taking in another three children as well as her own. She assumed nursing duties for a teen-age girl immobilized in a car accident and coaxed her back to a walking state in about four years. Besides nourishing the people immediately around her, she took the role of recreation facilitator at both the Bay City and Palacios Friends of Elder Citizens groups. Towards the end of her

life, after a paralyzing stroke put her in a nursing home at a relatively young age, she helped many of her fellow residents transition from this life to the next, comforting the families as their special person went through the hospice process. Perhaps it was the early death of her mother and her reliance on her grandfather that made her sensitive to, and appreciative of, death and the elderly.

She favored herself, when possible, with music and dancing. She spent many hours over a poker table and listening to a Bingo caller boom out the numbers. Her life was characterized by grit and determination, and self-resilience. She made the best of whatever Life would throw her way, no matter what it was. "We can do it," she would say. And then she would.

Survivors include daughters Rosemary Perez (Danny) and Donna Marie Brune (Kenny) and sons Albert Pena, Jr., Richard Pena and Joe Pena (Melissa); grandchildren Tabitha Perez, Seth Perez (Monica), Albert Pena III, Tina Pena, Joie Love Pena and Joe Pena, II, Lance Brune, Lauren Gerald (Dane), and great-grandchildren Seth Perez, Jr., Trinity Perez, Phoebe Perez and Zachary Perez, Fayth Pena, Albert Pena IV, Angelina Pena, Nathan Pena, Jadon Williams, Janessa Johnson and Skyler Gerald.

Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM Friday, March 3, 2023 at the Palacios Funeral Home.  Funeral service will be at 2:00 PM with Rev. Eric Young officiating.   Interment will follow at Hawley Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Seth Perez, Albert Pena, Jr., Albert Pena, III, Joe Pena II, Skyler Gerald, Henry Garcia. Honorary pallbearer is Lance Brune.

Her family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to IPH Hospice and the staff of Matagorda Nursing and Rehab for their loving care.