Josephine "Josie" Garcia

September 3, 1936 - January 13, 2022

We're here to honor the life and accomplishments of Josephine Garcia, our amazing mother who was a strong, intelligent woman, who never shy away from challenges, was a true pioneer and entrepreneur. Our mother, Josie Garcia, is part of the anonymous historical figures that shaped the migration of the Puerto Rican diaspora in the 1980s in Central Florida. However, our mother’s memories and accomplishments go beyond a geographic place or historical event. Our early recollection of our life with our parents starts in Spain in 1970. This year, without a college degree, our mother and father decided to leave the Island and move to Spain so our father could attend medical school. With very limited financial means and no support systems, we landed in Spain and soon our mom began working as a civilian for the US Air Force in Zaragoza, Spain. For the next 5 years, her role was an exceptionality in Franco’s Spain, as a working mother with four children who put our father through Medical School. Upon returning to the Island in the late 70s she finished her BA from Universidad del Sagrado Corazon and became an elementary and middle school teacher. While continuing to teach full time, she decided to earn a real state license to explore new opportunities. She obtained her real estate license and began selling real state in Puerto Rico. Once she had saved enough money, she moved our family to Central Florida and decided to launch an innovative travel business, establishing Easy Tours and Travel in the late 1980s, converting it into one of the top travel agencies in Central Florida, specializing in trips from Orlando to Puerto Rico. As one of the largest Latin Travel Agencies, Easy Travel became one of the top passenger feeders for US Airlines breaking into the Orlando/Puerto Rico market. She, together with a few tenacious Latin travel agencies supported thousands of Boricuas in their aspirations to relocate to Central Florida, a Puerto Rican community that has grown and thrived. Years later, it will be this community that will come together to pave a path to our brothers and sisters’ victims of hurricane Maria and the economy strife that has been devastating to many Puerto Rican families. But Josie provided much greater services than travel, she was a prominent leader in the Orlando’s Latin community. She became a realtor for our growing community and worked with local banks to get her clients their new Florida home. In the 1990s she purchased a small music store and converted it into one of the largest Salsa music and Latin instruments stores in the Orlando area. She was also one of the main sponsors of theater and concerts for our local community and brought many Puerto Rican artists to perform in Orlando; bringing us together to celebrate our roots in this new place of opportunity and hope. Our mother was beautiful, full of life and gusto. She loved her Boricua roots and her people, but her greatest achievement was to raise a family of professionals, supporting and lifting our community in Central Florida and spreading the love for our island and its people. Our mother is survived by her daughter, Glenda Agosto, her sons, Ricardo Alvarez, Rodney Alvarez, and Harry Castro, and her grandkids Alexis, Gabriela, Mia and Christian. May you rest in the peace and love of your family and community which you served so well. Se te quiere de gratis! Services will be held at a later date.