Bernard Garcia Soria was born in a small Santa Barbara Eastside home at 715 East Mason Street in the spring of 1922 to Luz Garcia Soria and Miguel Garcia Soria. He had four sisters and one brother.

His father was a brick maker and worked at the brickyard most of his life while Bernard was attending elementary school. He was raised by his sisters, Felicia, Ines, Vivian and Lucy. After attending high school in Santa Barbara, he left with his brother, Fred Soria, to look for work in the East Bay Area working as a crane rigger. He was soon drafted into World War II.

He was inducted into the Army infantry, where he served with the 84th Infantry Railsplitters Division. In 1942, he rose to the rank of staff sergeant during his tour through Europe. He returned to Santa Barbara after getting injured by tank shrapnel, somewhere in western Germany. He was sent home to Fort Collins, Colorado, for rehabilitation, where he met Mary Lujan, a young nurse working full time in a veterans hospital. He received a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He returned to Santa Barbara and raised two sons, John Bernard Soria and Steven Timothy Soria.

Bernard was a huge advocate of education, working hard and keeping his family together. He was an amazing provider and made sure that his family had the comforts they needed. He was a really amazing grandpa and was said by great grandkids to “always be very happy.” On Monday, May 27, 2013, Memorial Day, at the age of 91, Bernard passed away at home with his family by his side. He will be remembered for his legacy and missed dearly by his family and friends. (Best Grandpa Ever)

Services were held at Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapel with burial at Calvary Cemetery.