Roland Garcia (41) of Santa Fe departed on his next grand adventure from one of the loveliest beaches in the world, Playa Hermosa in Uvita, Costa Rica, surrounded by family and friends. Roland was larger than life and lit up every room he entered. His voice was loud and honest, and while only most of his jokes were good, all of them made us laugh. He was a musician, explorer, plant whisperer, entertainer, artist, and above all, a family man. His loyalty and generosity were unmatched. 

 

Roland was born in Santa Fe and lived in the Pojoaque Valley and Albuquerque before returning to Santa Fe in middle school, where he lived the rest of his life. He attended Capshaw Middle School, where he met Dana Jennings in band class and impressed her with his antics in the percussion section. Their friendship grew slowly at first, but flourished as their circles joined in high school. Dana became Roland’s harbor, his best friend, his soul mate. From that time on, they laughed and cried and adventured together -- building a beautiful family, supporting one another, and spending every possible moment experiencing life to the fullest. They married in 2011 in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and threw an unforgettable party, complete with dancing late into the night. They spent more than half their lives together as a loving, joyful couple. 

 

Roland was a naturally gifted musician and performer. He could pick up any instrument and play it - and could make a drum out of anything. One Christmas, at age12, he received a harmonica, left his other gifts unopened while he figured out how to play it, and returned half an hour later with a new composition to share. At Capital High School, he played percussion in the band and mastered the quints -- a five-drum apparatus as impressive as it was heavy. As a teen and young adult, he played bass guitar in several bands, including Celestial Ecstasy, Sapphire, and, starting in 2003, La Junta -- forming lifelong friendships with his bandmates. La Junta went on to become an award-winning Latin/Rock/Reggae band with a following around Northern New Mexico and Colorado.

 

As a young boy, Roland cherished his time in Cañoncito with his grandparents, Johnny and Tillie Garcia., He learned to hunt, ride horses, and appreciate the rhythms of life in rural New Mexico. He admired his young uncle Gary, who he affectionately called Brother. Gary was home from college and working at a casino when Roland lived with them. This may have inspired the illegal, underground casino Roland and his bandmates operated out of their bachelor pad years later.

 

At 13, Roland participated in an archaeology field school in Mexico with his mom and step-father, a co-director of the project. He worked, played, and bunked alongside an international crew of students and researchers. This was a pivotal time in Roland’s life that he often spoke of fondly. He learned that even as the youngest member of the group, his contributions mattered, and he mattered. He learned some broken Spanish that he used till the day he died - mostly to make Dana laugh at his made-up words and improper use - but also to communicate when needed. This experience nourished his natural desire to connect with people, even those who didn’t speak his language. His overtures were pure, true, and always well-received. Roland’s ability to connect with others, no matter the language or background, was genuine and magnetic.

 

That field season also gave a taste for something different. He craved new horizons, beautiful scenery, and food he’d never tasted. One of his great joys was planning vacations with his family and friends. He was frequently on the road to somewhere interesting - or making somewhere interesting once he arrived. 

 

At 16, his passion was his band, Celestial Ecstacy. He moved in with his bandmates - his ‘brothers’ - and together they idolized and studied the Beatles,  and other great musicians. They even staged a clandestine concert at the Cross of the Martyrs, emulating the Beatles final rooftop show. Together they worked at Ski Santa Fe, where Roland would spend his entire professional career. He started in the parking lot crew and worked his way up to Manager of the Rental Shop, earning  statewide recognition with the coveted “Best of the Best” customer service award from Ski New Mexico in 2023. His seasonal job was demanding, so he built a family with his winter working crew and spent summers caring for the kids and adventuring with his family and friends. His loyalty extended to all those he considered family.

 

Roland was a lifelong learner - from deep dives on sci-fi lore and theory, to gardening tips, to sports stats and player status, to learning coaching strategy and developing football plays for his son Wyley’s teams. He was a dedicated coach to many youth in Santa Fe. He volunteered countless hours on and off the field working to enrich each kid’s life. He had a huge collection of plants and loved to learn how to propagate and care for them, and recently, he was taking up bonsai. 

 

He experienced great loss in his life, losing many loved ones way too soon. He lived life knowing today might be his last, a quality that allowed him both a rare contentment with what he had, and a fearless spirit ready to jump at any opportunity. Dana kept him grounded but enjoyed and supported his adventurous spark. 

 

Family was everything for Roland -- though his definition of family was as boundless as his heart. He and his siblings were a tight-knit bunch who enjoyed spending time together in far-flung locations at every opportunity. He was the oldest, and he was the best at finding the coolest spots in any city and the first to say yes to any proposed plan to bring the ‘Six’ together.  Despite these close-knit relationships with his siblings, his “brothers” weren’t always related by blood, but always by love. He loved his wife and children as deeply as any man who has ever lived. He also extended that love to his many relatives and friends. If you needed anything, Roland  would make it happen. He was the rallying cry, the drill sergeant, the entertainment, and the heart. 

Together, Roland and Dana created a beautiful life full of love - love for their four kids, their shared adventures, and a love that radiated to everyone in Roland’s large circle. If you were lucky enough to enter his circle, you were in it for life. He was loyal, compassionate, and funny as hell.

 

His legacy lives on in his children, who are as inquisitive, brave, and kind as he was. He taught  Rio to play bass guitar and encouraged her art. He could connect with her on a level her mom can only hope to match. He loved coaching Wyley  and was so proud of him -- on and off the field. They also bonded through video games. He made sure Aurora was a strong swimmer before their trip to Costa Rica, and she is an incredible storyteller like her dad. Ronan loves to sing, just as Roland did, and thanks to his influence, she’s developing a fondness for the Beatles.

 

Roland died a hero, saving his son Wyley from a riptide in Costa Rica. With help from his brother Greg and his daughter Rio, he made it back to shore and knew Wyley was safe. He knew his brother John Sheils was safe. His youngest daughters Aurora and Ronan played happily in the sand with their beach toys, unaware of the unfolding tragedy, thanks to the quick actions of beloved family friends, Roland’s brother Paul Ortega and Rio’s best friend Nessa Yanda-Norris. Roland loved Costa Rica, and he was so happy to be there with his family. He died in paradise doing what he loved -- swimming and traveling with his people.

 

He is survived by his soulmate of 22 years, Dana; their children Rio, Wyley, Aurora, and Ronan; parents Annie and Bob Leonard of Knoxville, IA, and Roland and Myrna Garcia of Cañoncito, NM, and mother-in-law Margot Jennings of Santa Fe, NM; brothers and sisters Augusta and Javier Escalante of Albuquerque, NM, Emily Palena and Anthony Reyes of Redmond, WA, Gregory Palena of Brooklyn, NY, Asa Leonard of Boston, MA, Johanna Leonard of Iowa City, IA, Terika Martinez of Albuquerque, NM, Parker Jennings and Micayla Duran, and Hillary Jennings of Santa Fe, NM; Grandparents Mary and Bill Ogle of Jaconita,NM, Lee and Sylvia Fleming of Falcon, CO, and Margaret Rhodes of Seattle, WA; nieces and nephews Isabella and Javier Escalante, Tau and Xia Jennings y Duran, and Dalton Valdez, many loving aunts and uncles, dozens of cousins, and countless friends he called family. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Tillie and Johnny Garcia, his father-in-law, Ken Jennings, and “brothers” Dino Padilla and Zack Rogers, who, no doubt, met him when he arrived home.

 

As the years pass, whenever his family gathers for the holidays, a reunion, or a memorial, we will set a plate for him, pour him a beer, and share our tears and joy in his memory.

 

A Fiesta for Roland will be held at Santa Fe Ski on Sunday, August 17, 2025, from 11 am to 3 pm, with words from the family beginning at 11:30. ¡Que viva Roland Garcia!