Jaime "Jimmy" Alvarez Garcia

A tenacious fighter, a sports fanatic, and a devoted member of his large, tight-knit family, Jimmy Alvarez Garcia, 29, was true to his nature until his final breath. After courageously battling cancer for more than two years, Jimmy passed away peacefully into God's loving embrace with dozens of family members by his side and the Super Bowl playing in the background. Beloved son, brother, boyfriend, grandson, cousin, nephew, friend, and teammate, Jimmy created a unique bond with each friend and relative whose life he touched. He had a peaceful and gentle manner toward others, especially his cherished family. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Jimmy grew up on the West Side, where he spent what he called the best days of his life playing sports, riding bikes, and sharing his wonderful sense of humor with his cousins and best friends. He loved to laugh and had a contagious and knowing smile that will be forever imprinted in our memories. Jimmy excelled at any sport he pursued from Little League to basketball to boxing. He was an all-star basketball player at Monte Vista Christian, where he graduated from high school in 2003. A youthful spirit and naturally gifted in so many ways, Jimmy had a deep desire to be the best he could be and a strong passion to overcome any obstacles to see his dreams realized. A fierce competitor who didn't know how to quit, you could always count on Jimmy to shine when it mattered most, both in sports and in life. His memory will be treasured by his mother, Patty Garcia (Pete Young) "the queen of his heart"; his loving father, Jimmy Garcia, Sr. (Barbara Frambini); his much loved brother, Brandon Garcia; half brother, Jordan Garcia; half sister, Ava Garcia; and adored girlfriend, Christie Mitchell. Gone much to soon, he is preceded in death by his beloved grandfathers Ricardo Alvarez and Daniel Garcia Sr. and his cousin Jacob Alvarez. But, he is also survived by a very large and loving family, including grandmothers, Evelia Alvarez and Maria Escobar-Garcia; eight aunts; nine uncles; 79 cousins; and many more. Jimmy will be forever missed by all those who knew him, including his kitties Gizmo and Rocky. A rosary will take place on Friday, Feb. 6 at St. Joseph's Church in Capitola at 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be held Saturday, Feb. 7 at St. Joseph's at 10 a.m. The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love and prayers. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Jimmy's honor may be made through Wells Fargo account #6143553664, routing# 121042882 or at https://ipn.intuit.com/pay/mec.