Pamela Kay Garcia

Pamela Kay Garcia was born on Jan. 8, 1952, to John E. and Marjorie Dell Siemens. She grew up in the Shafter/Wasco area, attending Maple Elementary and then Wasco High School, where she graduated in 1969. Pam passed away in Bakersfield on Feb. 29, 2024.

Pam was baptized in 1965 at the Mennonite Brethren Church. She was a member at Wasco Mennonite Brethren church until they closed, and then transferred membership to the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church.

Pam met Americo "Med" Garcia in 1969 in Wasco. They married on March 13, 1970. This year, they would have celebrated 54 years of marriage.

Pam worked various jobs over her lifetime, including her most recent job working in the office for Frugatti's Inc. with Ralph and Anne Fruguglietti. It's safe to say her most impactful job to the community and the people in it were her years working with Eunice Kroeker as a teacher's aide and then as the 3rd and 4th grade teacher at North Kern Christian School. She worked there over 10 years.

Pam had two children – Stacy Dawn, born in 1970, and Daniel Americo, born in 1973. She was very involved in all the kids' activities, including Sunday School, youth group, sports and any interests the kids may have had.

If you were to ask people what Pam was best at, hands down, people would say her baking. You could always look forward to an amazing meal, and particularly delightful baked bread, pies, cakes and any other various assortment of goodies all would enjoy. With her cooking talents, she was quickly recruited to serve on the Fest Committee at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Wasco for many years.

She had no greater joy than spending time with her grandchildren and teaching them how to cook and passing down her talents. They were also the lucky ones to have homemade birthday cakes from their Grammy, even when it wasn't one of their birthdays. We all learned the hardest part of enjoying her food was getting there before it was all gone!

Pam enjoyed many years of traveling with Med. They particularly liked going on cruises; they were part of the San Joaquin Valley Miata Club and attended car events throughout the state. When not traveling, she loved spending time in Morro Bay.

Pam was preceded in death by her parents, John E. and Marjorie Dell Siemens; her brother Jay Siemens; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She is survived by her husband, Med Garcia; her daughter Stacy Dawn and husband Sean Giles; her son Daniel Americo Garcia and wife Veronica; her seven grandchildren, Kaytlynn Haws, Luke Giles, Isabella Garcia, Gabrielle Giles, America Giles, Aidan Giles and Ian Garcia; her two great grandchildren, Dellilah Haws and Elliana Haws; and her brother Gary Gene Siemens and wife Debbie.

Visitation will be held at Peters Funeral Home in Shafter on March 11, from 4 to 8 p.m. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, March 12, beginning at 10 a.m. at Shafter Memorial Park, followed by a memorial service at Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to North Kern Christian School in Pam's name.