Virginia Navarro Martinez, 68, went to her heavenly home on June 8, 2019. Her devotion to her family and firm belief in God supported her during her recent medical struggles and ultimately gave her peace.
“Virgie”, known to family and friends, was born to the late Felicissimo and Villaflora Navarro, a former policeman and a homemaker respectively, in Iligan City, Philippines on January 20, 1951. She was immersed in the United Church of Christ (Philippines) at an early age. Virgie became a part of the Christian community in 1974 where she met the Lord in Clark Field Baptist Church, Angeles City. She became completely involved in church ministry at Clark which is also the place where she met her husband, James C. Martinez, retired pastor of Agape Baptist Church, Washington, DC. Consequently, Virgie and James married in 1977, graduated from the Angeles University Foundation in 1979 with Masters in Business Management, and taught at the same university for 13 years. Building a life in Angeles City with James, Virgie was blessed with two daughters. From the very beginning, they dedicated their children to God and brought them to every ministry event. In 1988, the family had an opportunity to migrate to the USA and start a new life together.
Virgie was blessed with her first job that soon became her career at the Bureau of National Affairs for twenty-three years as a Research Analyst. With no experience in this field she trusted heavily on her faith to get her through challenging experiences. In 1998, Virgie’s heart was called by God to adopt a son and they soon welcomed him to their family. Raising three children in a new land and working in a new field, Virgie also supported her husband in fulltime ministry. It is in ministry work that Virgie taught her children the meaning of joyfully serving the Lord.
Virgie is survived by her husband, James; her daughters, Javee Medina and husband Melvin; Verily Macalino and husband Benjamin “Jr”; her son, Marc Ian Martinez and wife Valeria; her grandchildren Elijah Roy, Caleb Roy, Selah Rae, Arabel Beth’el, Jaycob Nathaniel, Marley James, Levi Jun and Zemirah Rae; younger brother, Ezra Josue & wife Beverly; nephew and nieces, Mherwyn, Mherlyn, Florence, Frederick, Ecclesia, Ezel, Ej and Erech. She is preceded in death by her brother, Emerson Navarro; her parents Felicissimo and Villaflora Navarro.
The family will receive friends on Friday, June 14, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Hines-Rinaldi
Funeral Home, 11800 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20904. On Saturday, June 15, 2019 visitation with the family will begin at 10 AM with a funeral service celebrating her life from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Agape Baptist Church, 3920 Alton Place NW, Washington, DC 20016. Interment will take place at Parklawn Memorial Gardens, 12800 Veirs Mill Road, Rockville, MD 20853. A repast will be held in her honor at Agape Baptist Church at 1:30 PM.
