DJ Amy O remembered by coworkers for having 'electric' personality, dedicated work ethic

Weeks after her untimely death in a San Antonio motorcycle accident, colleagues of longtime Lubbock radio personality Amy Garza say her loss will be long felt in the community.

On April 20, news came out of San Antonio that the woman known to fans as Amy O on Lubbock's hip-hop station KBTE, 104.9 The Beat died after a crash involving a motorcycle driver who police say was intoxicated. Garza was 44.

Though gone from the airwaves, her legacy and memory still live on with those who worked with her over the past decade and a half.

"She could always just put a smile on people's faces and in their hearts," said Damon Scott, content director for AlphaMedia.

This sentiment was one of the many memories Scott and other co-workers shared when they thought about Garza's impact on the Lubbock community and on their lives.

An "electric" personality

Over the past 15 years, Garza's voice became synonymous with the Lubbock community through her presence at events around the Hub City.

Damon recalled going to several events around the city, and the first thing people would ask him was, "Where's Amy O?"

"She just loved the station, lived it and was always out in the community doing things for people and representing the station," Jeff Scott said. "She just really had a passion not only for the station, the music, but the people that listened in, and Lubbock, too."

Jeff, senior content director for AlphaMedia, said she was the life of the office — throwing out jokes and getting into pranking wars.

Chelsey Smith, business manager for AlphaMedia, said Garza "had an electric personality," was always on the go and busy with projects and tasks - although she notoriously never checked her email.

Amy O's business side

While Garza had a charismatic personality, Jeff said there was one thing that set her apart.

"I think she was probably the most respectful person that I've ever known," he said. "I mean, you can tell she was raised in a family that, I mean, respect, man. She just would always say 'yes, ma'am', 'yes, sir'."

He recalled that he would always tell her to call him "Jeff," but she would still end up calling him "Sir," even after they had known each other for years.

Both Colleen Murphy, sales director for AlphaMedia, and Scott said she always wore makeup and dressed up. Murphy said she always looked like she had a sense of purpose when doing so and didn't care what anyone thought of her.

"She was an extremely strong individual and very caring — she's definitely someone you would want in your corner," Murphy said. "She was a fantastic mother. Loved her father. Very, very connected to family, but she was very strong."

While Garza's main job was to be on air, Murphy said Garaza also worked as an account rep for the media outlet.

"She was really good at getting meetings with people that we wouldn't have had on the air if it hadn't been for Amy O," Murphy said. "Her clients loved her because she was spot-on taking care of them. She would tell them what they need to do. They didn't tell Amy O what they were doing, she told them what they were doing and they listened and they were like 'OK'."

Smith said Garza had hustle like no other, saying, "She knew what she wanted and how to get it," but she also loved to travel.

On her bucket list was to attend a Super Bowl, which she got to do. Garza was able to secure seats at Super Bowl 58, where she saw former Red Raider Patrick Mahomes lead the Kansas City Chiefs to victory.

Her legacy lives on

Jeff said Garza set the bar very high for how much she cared about the city, the community, and the radio station's listeners.

"She cared deeply about the station and how the station interacted with the city, people, and listeners," he said. "I don't know that I could ever live up to her standard of how much she cared day to day about the station and its connection to all people and the responsibility."

Her dedication went as far as shaving her head for a fundraiser a few years ago for the Children's Miracle Network, which saw area schools compete to raise the most money to have Garza come to their school and shave her head.

After her passing, Jeff said the station saw an outpouring of support from the city. He knew how popular and ingrained she was in the city, but it wasn't until then that it truly hit him how much of an impact she had on people.

Scott, Damon, Murphey and Smith all agreed that they would truly miss her, both in the office and their lives - especially her trademark final sign-off.

"104 The Beat out the door," she would said. "Y 'all have a fun evening. Ay los watcho. Se van y ay bueno. Bye."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock DJ Amy O remembered for 'electric personality,' dedication