Legacy of Generosity
New Mexico Entrepreneurâs Spirit Lives
Eugene Garcia was born in Trinidad, CO. At age 10 he herded sheep, spending days at a time in pastures tending his flock. Although he didnât complete elementary school, Mr. Garcia valued learning, inspiring him to read many books about construction, engineering and business management.
A passionate entrepreneur with an indomitable spirit, Mr. Garcia started his own construction business at a young age. He and his wife Marie went to Arizona during the early years of World War II for a military project. Upon their return, he met with the Army Corps of Engineers and agreed to take on a large job in Los Alamos called the âManhattan Project.â
During the project Mr. Garcia overcame setbacks. His ingenuity and tenacity were shown when a truck wrecked near Española, knocking out the bottom of the crankcase. Rather than wasting time and risking further damage, he made repairs at the accident site, with his crew, working around the clock using the machine shop they erected near the road. In another instance, Mr. Garcia had just one week to bring water through 12 miles of forest to the site. Dividing the crew into teams, Mr. Garcia himself instructed each how to complete the welds and finish the work just ahead of Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimerâs arrival deadline.
Mr. Garcia continued to win construction projects, in part because he developed methods to accomplish tasks others couldnât. In one project, he and his crew painted the outsides and insides of two smoke stacks over 200 feet tall. No one else had been willing to take the job.
Mr. Garcia worked until age 92, retiring to care for Marie, who was diagnosed with cancer. A private man with only a few close friends, Mr. Garcia felt strongly about supporting New Mexico, giving generously after his death to the BioPark Society, UNM Foundation and UNM Cancer Center through the Charitable Trust bearing his name.
