Usher Joe Garcia has died
Usher Joe Garcia at Tucson's Cine Plaza Theater
Joe Garcia, beloved usher of Tucson’s Spanish language theater – the Cine Plaza – has died, Sept. 11, 2011. He was 74 years old.
A wake for Mr. Garcia will be held from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, September 15 at the Martinez Funeral Home, 2580 South 6th Avenue, Tucson, Arizona. The funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 South Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona.
When we did the original Cine Plaza documentary in 2010, many told us stories of Joe Garcia and what an engaging and special man he was. And we had Joe Garcia himself, who for decades was the usher at the Cine Plaza, to tell his side of the story.
Tucson's Cine Plaza Theater
At the Fox Theatre premiere in 2010. the lead singer of Indie Rock band Calexico, Joey Burns, happened to sit behind Joe Garcia. When Mr. Garcia was recognized from the stage and stood up, a thunderous wave of applause came over the hall. People ran up and hugged him. Afterward Joey Burns told me of the crowd reaction, “Now I know what a rock star is.”
Below is an excerpt on Joe Garcia from the original Cine Plaza documentary series episode, which is available on loan through the Pima County Public Library, and also for sale on DVD by clicking here and following to the green type near the bottom of the page.
R.I.P Joe Garcia
April 25, 1937-September 11, 2011