Valdemar Garza

Valdemar Garza Echartea, 64, of Arcola, IL passed away at 2:43 PM on Monday, October 26, 2026 in Arcola, IL.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 31, 2026 at the Edwards Funeral Home, 221 East Main St., Arcola. Burial will be at a later date in Mexico.

Valdemar was born on February 17, 1962 in Cadereyta Jimenez, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He was a son of Gregorio and Irma Echartea Garza. He married Penny Gale Haynes on December 3, 2003 in Jefferson County, IL.

He is survived by his wife, Penny Garza, two daughters, Karina Garza and Erika Garza and her husband Baldemar Santana, and one son, Pedro Garza and his wife Jhoanna Trevino, seven grandchildren, Leslye, Daniel, Jonathan, Erick, Dominick, Baldemar, and Eria, all of Cadereyta Jimenez, Mexico, three step daughters, Crystal Presley, Stephanie Garcia-Hernandez, and Tiffany Presley, 11 step grandchildren, Omarion, Marcus, Jonathan, Maria, Abel, Jael, Lionelya, Makayla, Anthony, Dereka and Derek, all of Mattoon, IL, three sisters, Maria Antonia Cisneros, Olga Garza, and Hilda Garza, two brothers, Juan Garza and Gregorio Garza, and a bestfriend, Jesse Garza, all of Arcola, IL.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two grandchildren, Jenyfer and Alexis, two brothers, Arturo and Fransisco Garza, and his mother-in-law, Betty Calahan.

Valdemar graduated from high school in Mexico and later attended trade school, where he trained to become a welder. He worked for several years as a welder at an oil refinery. Most recently, he worked for Ryan and Luke Spencer for the past several years, and he also helped out in the community working on small projects as well as concrete work.

Outside of work, Valdemar found great joy in soccer, “futbol”. He enjoyed both watching and playing the game, and his favorite team was Rayados Monterrey. He also liked organizing soccer games with friends. In addition to soccer, he enjoyed spending time with friends and grilling out.