Fidencio Tanguma "Chico" Garza, 71, died Oct. 5, 2005, at the Veteran's Administration Hospital, Denver.

He was born Nov. 20, 1933, in Premont, Texas, the son of Francisco Garza and Inez Tanguma Garza. He graduated in 1952 from Premont High School, Premont, Texas. A longtime Hutchinson resident, he worked for 10 years in civil service for the Hutchinson Post Office and Lowry Air Force Base and Supply, Denver, and owned several businesses including, La Disco Teqa, a restaurant at McPherson, Chico's Bar and Grill, Ana's Remedios and Chico's Corner.

He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 30 years of service, being stationed in Germany, Eglin Air Force Base, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Castle S.A.C. Air Force Base, Atwater, Calif., Cheyenne, Wyo., Thailand, Japan, and Anchorage, Alaska. He served as a baseball, softball and basketball coach. He was the first Hispanic DJ on KWBW with "La Voz Mexicana" in the 1970s. He was an entertainment promoter and coached boys baseball and fast pitch softball for the church.

He belonged to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, South Hutchinson, and the American GI Forum.

On Sept. 15, 1956, he married Bertha Caroline Mora at Hutchinson. She died Sept. 8, 1979. In 1980, he married Pauline Moreno at McPherson. She died March 1, 2001. On June 23, 2001, he married Ana Maria Alcaraz at Hutchinson. She survives.

Other survivors include: a son, Steve and his wife Lillian, Hutchinson; a stepson, Carlos Alcaraz, Denver; a daughter, Rose and her husband Martin Gutierrez, Hutchinson; a stepdaughter, Carolina Alcaraz, Denver; four brothers, Hermenegildo, Chicago, Francisco Jr. and his wife Yolanda, St. Paul, Texas; Cavanaugh and his wife Kelly, Breckenridge, Texas, and Orlando Trevino, Bakersfield, Calif.; two sisters, Beatrice Cantu, Premont, Texas, and Alberta Garza and her husband Raymundo, Corpus Christi, Texas; seven grandchildren; a step-grandchild; five great-grandchildren; and several nephews and nieces.

He was preceded in death by an infant son; and two brothers, Gilbert and Benjamin.

Parish rosary will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, South Hutchinson. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the church, with Father Ned J. Blick presiding. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. Burial will be in Fairlawn Burial Park, with military graveside rites conducted by the McConnell Air Force Base Honor Guard, Wichita.

Memorials may be sent to the Fidencio T. Garza Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral home.

Personal condolences may be left for the family at www.elliottmortuary.com.