Virginia Iglesias

Virginia Ann Iglesias was born November 3, 1944 in Temple, Texas to Joe Lee and Madolin Martinec and was to become the oldest of twelve children. She passed away on Tuesday, March 28 in Austin, Texas due to complications from cancer.

She met her husband Raul, who escaped Cuba in 1962 as part of Operation Peter Pan, at a high school dance in Austin that same year. Virgie was attending St. Mary’s Academy, and Raul was attending St. Edwards (a high school at that time). The high school sweethearts then went on to get married in 1966 in Puerto Rico. They lived in Puerto Rico, Dallas, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, and eventually settled in Austin. Upon their return to Austin, they had their two children, Madolin Maria and Raul Joseph (RJ). Virgie cherished her family, particularly her grandson Ben

Virgie touched the lives of many people, was patient and loved family and friends unconditionally. She had a big heart, a big smile, and a great laugh. One of Raul’s favorite things was the sparkle in her eyes. Her greatest love was her family, both immediate and extended. She enjoyed family get-togethers, good jokes, sweet espressos, games (particularly chicken foot dominoes), travel (especially visiting Madolin and Ben in Seattle, and she and Raul’s trip to Spain in 2015), and the new family addition, their puppy Babalú. She could also cook a mean batch of black beans and great paella. We all loved her humor and her way of getting her siblings’ names mixed up as she tried to talk to them, saying “David, Tom, Steve, darn it, BILL”’. It was funny to all of us, and yet she enjoyed it too.

She is survived by her husband of almost 51 years Raul, son RJ, daughter Madolin, her dearly beloved grandson Ben, her mother Madolin, eleven brothers and sisters, and many in-laws, nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by her father Joe Lee, her in-laws Raul S. Iglesias and Maria Calero-Iglesias, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. She will be sorely missed by everyone she helped and whose lives she otherwise touched.

The family would like to thank Hospice Austin staff, especially those at Christopher House for their thoughtful care – Gia, Diana, Tracy and Kendra and Doctors Galusha and Pacl, with special thanks to Tish who provided such compassionate and loving nursing care in Virgie’s final hours.

Rosary will be held at 7 PM on Monday, April 3 at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 203 E. 10th Street, Austin, 78701, with funeral mass at 2 PM on Tuesday, April 4, also at St. Mary’s.