Eladia Garcia Arroyo
June 20, 1935 — May 9, 2014
Dateline: Hinesville, GA, Formerly of Fayetteville
Mrs. Eladia Garcia Arroyo, 78, passed away Friday, May 9, 2014 in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah, GA.
Eladia was a vibrant and active member of the Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg Hispanic community. She was born in Puerto Rico on June 20, 1935 to the late Francisco Garcia and Basilisa Garcia Rodriguez. A devoted Army Wife, she moved with her husband to Fayetteville in 1979 due to her husband being transferred to Ft. Bragg. She worked through Fayetteville Technical Community College teaching Crochet, English as a 2nd Language, and Spanish to Special Forces Soldiers. She always maintained professional pride in her duties as a Spanish Instructor to the Special Forces and was respected and admired, both by her students and Instructors. She was a faithful member of the Spanish community at JFK Memorial Chapel and was a member of St. Patrick Catholic Church. Her dedication and spirit of community was cornerstone in sharing the Hispanic culture within Fayetteville. Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, Victor Garcia and a sister, Octavia Garcia.
She is survived by her husband, Santos Rosado Arroyo of Fayetteville; daughters, Yolanda Reyes and her husband Israel of Fayetteville and Sandra Snipes and her husband David of Hinesville, GA; a brother, Frank Garcia of Deltona, FL; sisters, Maria Dolores of Puerto Rico and Olga Zalaznick of Hope Mills; grandchildren, Reynaldo Reyes-Arroyo, Alejandro Reyes-Arroyo, Leonardo Reyes-Arroyo, Armando Reyes-Arroyo, Julia Snipes and Eliza Snipes.
Visitation will be 7:00-9:00 PM Tuesday, May 13, 2014 with a Prayer Service beginning at 8:00 PM, with Deacon Vince Mescall officiating at Lafayette Funeral Home, 6651 Raeford Rd. Fayetteville, NC 28304.
A Funeral Mass will be 12:00 noon Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 2844 Village Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28304 with MSGR Michael Shugrue officiating.
Burial will follow the service at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake.
Arrangements for the family are in the care of LaFayette Funeral Home, 6651 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28304. On-line condolences may be made at www.lafayettefh.com .