David L. Garcia

David L. Garcia, longtime resident of Framingham, passed away at the age of 86 on Saturday, February 7^th, following a long illness.

All who knew him will remember him as a man of boundless warmth and generosity, who gave so much of his time to his community and unconditional dedication to his family and friends. Dave was a gifted storyteller, a devoted patriarch to his family, and a talented executive who excelled in everything he did. His welcoming smile and open-hearted approach to everyone he met will continue to resonate with those who were lucky enough to know him.

He is survived by three sons, David, Joseph, and Kevin, two daughters-in-law, Suzanne and Emma, three grandchildren, Joseph, Teddy and Jessica, his brother Anthony, and many others who loved and admired him.

David was born on January 6^th, 1940, in Ida May, West Virginia, to David and Clementine Garcia.  He grew up in Detroit, MI, where he excelled academically while developing a love for baseball.

Before becoming catcher for the University of Michigan, David started out playing pickup games in the sandlots of Detroit. As a kid, he had a great arm but not much of a bat.  That is, until he heard the Detroit Tigers’ young star Al Kaline on the radio, saying that every at bat was different, and that he needed to learn how to swing, exactly the same way, every time. David took that to heart and spent all winter practicing his swing in the mirror until it was perfect. The next year he led the entire city of Detroit in hitting over .400 and represented his team at the league all-star game at Tiger Stadium.

Dave was a superb athlete and student and became the first member of his family to attend college. He was an exceedingly proud alumnus of the University of Michigan, where he played baseball, enjoyed a vibrant social life at Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, and developed a lifelong dedication to their athletic teams. Through the 2025 football season, his neighbors could count on seeing his maize-and-blue Michigan flag flying proudly on gamedays.

Dave moved to Brooklyn in the 1960s, and it was there that the sister of his best friend Web Dunlap introduced him to her beautiful roommate named Margaret, a stewardess at Eastern Airlines. Dave claimed that they fell in love within fifteen minutes. It may not have taken that much time, and certainly never dimmed through sixty years of joyous marriage.

Soon after marrying, they relocated to a small house on 46 Gorman Road in Framingham. Dave worked for Filenes department store and began building the foundation for a successful career and a thriving family. In the 1970s, the family returned to Ann Arbor, MI, and he worked as a highly successful and innovative sales manager for Casual Corner.

In the early 1980s the family returned to Framingham and took over the family business, the Wayside Inn Motel and the Pizza Pub, a hugely popular watering hole featuring live music from prominent local bands. He eventually sold that business and restarted his sales career at Bose, eventually landing at IBC, where he established himself as one of the most trusted and sought-after sales reps in the biotech industry. During time, he and Marge traveled the world, having many adventures in China, Japan, India, Europe and Latin America. After retiring in 2012, Dave continued to coach youth baseball and devoted much time and energy to Hoops and Homework, a Framingham-based after-school program that he helped establish.

In 2015, with the patient encouragement of his wife, he was baptized in the Catholic Church, which became an important part of his life. There were members of the Servants of the Holy Spirit prayer group led by their dear friend Father Paco. Dave and Marge also forged a special bond with Father Anthony Agbovi, who provided spiritual support and friendship in their final years.

In recent years, he kept up his spirit and enthusiasm despite his health struggles, continuing to enjoy spending time with the children and grandchildren.

Before and after his final illness, his deepest wish was to be reunited with his beloved Margaret, who passed away in 2022. Their beautiful and enduring love will live on in the memories of those they leave behind.

Dave was a legendary, larger-than-life presence, and he will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

There will be a memorial mass at 10am on Friday, February 13^th at St Stephens Church in Framingham, and a full memorial mass in the spring.

To share a memory with the Garcia Family, kindly visit www.mccarthyfh.com