Iliana Rose "Lilly" Garcia

Iliana "Lilly" Rose Garcia captured so many lives with her beautiful smile and captivating personality - singing "Peace and Love, Peace and Love, Everybody Peace and Love" while jamming everyone's phones with hundreds of selfies. She always looked at people with her loving eyes and made sure to say, "Hi" and "See you later." She rarely said goodbye.
Lilly was always ready to shop at Target, to count the green cars along the way, and to rest in the café with Grandma Rosa and her Papu Jose Garcia. She looked forward to her small, blue icee and made sure her Yayaak (Isaac) got his big icee.
Her favorite down-time was to facetime with her Grandma Nana Maria and Papa Larry Cruz from Hawthorne, NV, formally of Las Vegas, NM. She loved to share her books and have reading time with them.
She enjoyed visiting with her grandparents Jerry and Sharon Geist. She even claimed a room as her own, saying "Grandma, this is going to be my room!" When she would visit, she played with trinkets that were placed around the house. From time to time, she decided to take them home with her and tell her dad she "borrowed" them because they could fit in her purse.
Lilly loved spending time at her special cousins, Julie and Star Marcheese's, home.
They loved pulling each other around in the wagon, riding bikes together, and playing with each other. They always made sure she had a good time when she was with them.
Lilly also had Roxanne and Charlie Brito at her beck and call. Whatever she wanted, they gave her.
Lilly will be greatly missed by her prince charming, Derek, son of Leo and Victoria Agullion. From the moment they laid eyes on each other, they were inseparable. Not a day went by that Derek was not asking and pleading to see "His Lilly." If he were told, "not now" or "later," there would be endless crying and tantrums. The attachment they had for each other was like nothing Derek's mom had ever seen before. The memories of driving Derek around in her little truck, squealing and laughing as she did all her tricks will be forever etched in our minds. They would bring out every toy possible in the house. After visits, Victoria would finish cleaning and would find Lilly's shoes, purse, books or headbands. Derek would take them from her and say he would keep them safe until he saw her. "I think she left them on purpose just to go back and see Derek," Victoria said. They called each other "My Babe, My Honey, My Lilly" and now he calls her "My angel." They were destined for each other and what they had was true love. She will forever be a piece of him.
Iliana had just completed her second day of school at Duranes Preschool before she was tragically taken away from us. Lilly enjoyed singing, dancing, talking with everyone and made friends everywhere she went.
Iliana Rose Garcia was greeted by her uncle, Erik J. Rael, and her grandfather, Gilbert Rael, on October 20, 2015 as she made her passage into heaven. Lilly leaves behind her parents, Alan, of Albuquerque, NM, and Veronica, of Albuquerque NM, formally of Las Vegas, NM; her big brother, Isaac, and her big sister, Natalie. She also leaves behind her godparents, Lawrence Cruz, Ruby Brito, Ulysses Garcia, and Marysol Khavithone; numerous aunts and uncles: Lawrence and Luisa, Cruz, Sarah Cruz and Michael Gallegos - all of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Kelly, Mark, Juana Rael, Melissa and Bryan Wallenski and Joelle Rael - all of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Amy Baca of Las Vegas, New Mexico and Laura Cecilia and Lorenzo Rodriguez, Ulysses Garcia, Attila Garcia and Pamela Lopez - all of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Marysol Khavithone of Ventura, California; great-aunts and uncles Yolanda Maestes, Mona and Art Marcheese, Ruby and Tony Brito and Anthony Maestas - all of Albuquerque, and special cousins near and dear to her: Jackie, Jordan, Erik and Mila Mae - all of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Miranda Chavez, Anthony, Savanah, Niccolai and Joshy Gallegos, Jose and Vicente Rodriguez and Jake Lopez, of Albuquerque. Lilly also adopted Clyde and Mary Baca, of Las Vegas, NM as grandparents.
Lilly is preceded in death by cousins Angelo Gutierrez and Elizabeth Maestas.
Pallbearers will be Alan Garcia, Ulysses Garcia, Attila Garcia and Lawrence Cruz.
A Visitation will be held Monday, October 26, 2015 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 9502 4th St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114. Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. Mass will be held Tuesday, October 27, 2015 at 9:00 a.m., also at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. A Graveside Service will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE, in Albuquerque.