Adan O. Garza, 89, of Sundown, Texas entered eternal rest peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. A Rosary and gathering will be held at Head Duarte Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 2, and Wednesday, June 3, at 6:00 PM at Head Duarte Funeral Home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Michael’s Catholic Church on Thursday, June 4, at 2:00 PM. Interment will take place at the City of Sundown Cemetery.

Known by many names, including Adan, Adam O., Dad, Grandpa, Liko, Tio Adan, and Padrino, he was loved deeply by all who knew him. Adan was born on December 17, 1936, in Kenedy, Texas, to Martina Olmeda and Rudolfo Garza. He was welcomed by his older siblings, Selvia, Eva, Oscar O., Armandia, and Belia, and later joined by his younger siblings, Esperanza and Jesse. After his mother, Martina, passed away in 1942, his father later remarried, and Adan was also blessed with half-siblings, Rudy and Raynaldo.

Adan spent his childhood in Kenedy, Texas, and the land he grew up on can still be visited today. He often shared memories from those early years, and anyone who knew him knew how silly, wild, and full of life he was. Turns out, he had always been that way. As a boy, he would ride his horses to the pond near his home to play and swim. He also grew up playing cowboys, and that love followed him into adulthood. Westerns were always on in his home, and Gunsmoke never got old. He was also known to be quite the troublemaker from time to time, once sharing the story of the day he skipped school in elementary to smoke cigarettes under a bridge.

Adan had a love for all animals, but he was especially fond of horses. His love for horses started at a young age, and he had many beautiful horses throughout his lifetime. Most of us knew Dogbite and Bud, but his biggest pride and joy was his horse Charra. When you asked him to talk about Charra, the sparkle in his eyes was undeniable. He trained Charra to dance and bow, and his proudest thing to say was that he could let Charra out to graze while he worked, knowing all he had to do was whistle and watch Charra run through the field to him.

At the age of 18, Adan met his wife, Felicita Puente, through family connections. Adan’s stepbrother, Porfirio Cardona, was married to Felicita’s sister, Lena. Adan being Adan, he told Felicita that he was a year older than he actually was because he really wanted to marry her, and due to the marriage age laws at the time, he needed to be older than he was. He carried this white lie with confidence, and the first time they attempted to get married, they were not allowed to. Felicita said when the clerk said, “You’re not of age,” she looked at him, and he looked up to the ceiling. However, he was determined to marry the woman he loved. When he decided he wanted to marry Felicita, he sold Charra to his boss for $20. The two were inseparable and married on January 26, 1957, at Our Lady of Peace in Kenedy, Texas, beginning a journey together that spanned 67 years. Felicita and Adan built a loving home and welcomed six children: Linda, Adam Jr., MaryAnn, Robert, Raynaldo, and Rebecca.

When Adan and Felicita relocated to Sundown, Texas, he always said they had nothing to their name, not even a table to sit at. His work ethic and determination drove him to continue working toward his dream of owning farmland. He was a farm hand for several farmers around Hockley County, and although he had made a real name for himself, no banker would lend him money to buy his own land. His work ethic, his farming skills, and his determination are what set him apart, and all the local farmers wanted him to stay as a hand to make them money. Every bank denied him a loan and tried to limit him to leasing land. Again, his determination set the tone. Though he was not able to read or write, Adan never allowed that to limit what he could build. He finally got a banker at City Bank to lend him the money to buy his own piece of farmland, and he built an extremely successful farming career alongside his children, who helped him work the land. He even had his grandchildren in the mix and kept a pillow in his tractor so his grandkids could ride with him. Every summer, he grew an impressive garden for Felicita, and in the evenings, he and his grandchildren would pick fresh produce together.

Adan was known to have a good time, and with his love for horses, it only made sense that he created his own horse races. What started as a small gathering became a weekend production full of cars lined up along the road, horse chutes, food sales, and plenty of laughter. Everyone knew Adan Garza knew how to have a good time, and this was one of the stories that always made him laugh the hardest.

While he was farming, he decided he wanted to start a trucking business, so Delson’s Inc. was created. Adan’s work ethic was so strong that he farmed and trucked at the same time. His daughter MaryAnn and son-in-law Lupe Corrales helped him grow the business, and when he decided it was time to add more trucks, he had Lupe start driving for him. He stopped farming in 2001, and he continued to drive trucks and haul grain, milk, and cotton. In 2007, Adan retired from trucking.

Adan also enjoyed collecting classic vehicles. From his Impala to his Bel Air, they were kept in tip-top shape and even won car shows. But one vehicle stayed consistent: his ’57 red Chevy. And it must be said, cut top, because Adan always made sure that part was known.

Although he retired, Adan never stopped working. He was always outside working on the yard, the house, or finding little projects to keep him busy. His life was full of laughter and devotion. He loved to dance and could often be found twirling his wife on a dance floor. His evenings were filled with novelas with his wife, or “storias” as they called them, and he never missed an episode of Caso Cerrado, or “La Jueza” as they said. If they weren’t watching Caso Cerrado, then Adan had a western on, more than likely Gunsmoke.

A man of deep faith, Adan was a devout Catholic. He was an active member of San Isidro Catholic Church in Sundown until it closed, after which he and Felicita attended Saint Michael’s. Even when his health declined, Adan’s faith never wavered. He continued praying the Rosary daily and watching daily Mass.

He is survived by his children: Linda Garcia, Adam Garza Jr., MaryAnn (Guadalupe) Corrales, Ray Garza, and Becky (Marvin) Durham; 26 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.

Adan now joins his beloved wife, Felicita; his son Bobby; his parents; and his siblings in eternal life. Adan lived his life believing in hard work, Jesus’ grace, and that the greatest gift West Texas can receive is rain. To know him was an honor, and to hear his laugh and his jokes was a gift that stayed with you. Although he will be missed, his way of life will live on through the legacy he built in the Garza family.