Maria de Los Angeles Garcia

Maria de Los Angeles Garcia, age 69, of East Chicago, IN passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, August 21, 2022. Maria is survived by her beloved husband, Joseph Espitia; children: Angelita (Guadalupe) Lopez, Pedro (Sandra) Garcia, and Isabel (Carl Mobley) Garcia; mother, Petra Cantu; precious grandchildren: Antonio M. Garcia, Omar Rivera, Jr., Alejandro G. Lopez, Olivia M. Garcia, Adriana I. Lopez, Angel E. Cuevas, and Andres J. Garcia; siblings: Julian (Alicia) Cantu, Juanita (Joel) Bocangera, Maria (Eliezer…) Villareal, Martin (Sylvia) Cantu, Jorge Cantu, Sergio (June) Cantu, Ernesto Jr. (Nam) Cantu, Irma (Jose) Martinez, Benito (Roxanne) Cantu, and Blanca (Roman) Nunez; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Preceded in death by her husband, Pedro Garcia, Sr. and father, Ernesto Cantu.

Maria, known to everyone as "Gela" was a jack of all trades.  Gela was the local hairdresser, seamstress, and multi-talented crafter. She worked for 14 years at Cleveland Cliffs where she made numerous friends.  To know Gela was to love her.  She brightened every room she walked into with her radiant smile and infectious laughter.   She lived her life to the fullest and always chose to respond with kindness and love.  She will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched.

A Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Solan Pruzin Funeral Home, 14 Kennedy Ave., Schererville, IN 46375. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, August 26, 2022 DIRECTLY AT St. Patrick Catholic Church 3814 Grand Blvd., East Chicago, Indiana. Burial to follow at St. John/St. Joseph Cemetery in Hammond, IN. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Catholic Charities in her honor.