2022 Henry E. Ford MLK Achievement Award

This year the achievement award was renamed to honor Henry E. Ford, the founder of the New Braunfels MLK Association, Inc.  In the spirit and commitment of Mr. Ford the association is awarding Mrs. Lucille David Garcia the award posthumously.  Please read about her life to appreciate why she represents the spirit of Dr. King and the commitment of Henry E. Ford to our community.

Lucille Davis Garcia was born November 6, 1929 and raised in New Braunfels, Texas. She died on December 11, 2021. She was the ninth of twelve children born to Willie and Lillie Ramsey Davis. Lucille attended Booker T. Washington School and went on to attend and graduate from Hicks Beauty School in San Antonio. After graduation she was employed at a local beauty shop for 16 years.

Lucille was a devout Christian and a lifelong member of Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. She was an active member of the L R. Davis Missionary Society, held the office of church secretary since 1969, as well as numerous other offices.

Lucille married Jesse Garcia of Seguin and they strengthened their union with four children and three grandchildren. Together, Lucille and Jesse built a strong foundation on volunteerism in the community. Much of Lucille’s volunteer work was done with the New Braunfels Independent School District as a member of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). She received a Life Membership from the Lamar PTA and received the Silver Unicorn Award in 1972 from the school district as well. Other volunteer efforts include her work with the American Red Cross Organization for more than 25 years at the Eden Home. She served as Board Chairman and Secretary of Eden Heights, was the Treasurer for the Community Service Center, and was a member of the Historical Commission. She also served on the Board of Directors of her fraternal organization, The Grand Court of Calanthe.

The Chamber of Commerce awarded Lucille the President’s Award in 1987 for her involvement in youth activities and elected her to the Hall of Honor in 1991. She served on the Board of the New Braunfels Housing Authority for more than 30 years. Lucille received several proclamations from the City of New Braunfels. The most recent one she received was in January 2016 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On January 18, 2016 she was able to participate in an incredible and moving event in New Braunfels, the first Martin Luther King Jr. Day March. Lucille’s devotion to community activism was also instrumental when she was honored by The Braunfels Foundation Trust and was named a 2016 Living Legends Honoree.

She volunteered with Teen Connection before it came to be Connections Individual and Family Services. Lucille was at the very first meeting held at the First Federal Savings and Loan Building and was elected the first treasurer of the board. As treasurer, she deposited the first $5 that Teen Connection received. She started the thrift shop with a grant from the Meadows Foundation which enabled Connections to construct the building for the shop. Before she became a paid employee of Connections in 1989, Lucille devoted many hours of her time by volunteering in the Thrift Shop that she managed from 1984 to 2000. The thrift shop was aptly named Lucille’s Teen Connection Thrift Shop. Lucille later continued to be an active Connections’ employee and retired at the age of 87.