the daughter of zacarias h. garza and olivia cavaxos, she was born norma garza in donna, texas, attended high school there and studied stenography at a san antonio community college. she worked as an interviewer for the texas employment commission in donna and, then moved to mercedes in 1978 after she married jorge antonio garcía. the couple had three children. she took a real estate course at texas southmost college in brownsville, earning her real estate sales agent license in 1984.