Virginia Vasquez Ramirez born January 26 1938, in Sequin, Texas. On March 25, 2025, Virginia went to be with our Lord and Savior at the age of 87 in San Antonio Texas.

She was preceded in death by her husband Guadalupe Ramirez, Sr.; parents, Jose and Arcadia Vasquez.

Virginia is survived by her children, Guadalupe Ramirez, Jr (Patricia), Sylvia De Lara, Irene Lopez, Rachel Lovelady (Max), and Ruben Ramirez. By siblings, Elvira Velasquez, Lucilla Perez, Jose Vasquez Jr, Henry Vasquez (Cindy), Arcadia Martinez and Juan Vasquez (Adelina); 13 grandchildren; 25 great grandchildren and 3 great great grandchildren.

Virginia Vasquez was born on January 26, 1938, to migrant parents, Jose and Arcadia Vasquez. She was the third born of seven children. As migrant workers, her family traveled from Texas to Michigan, and Ohio. Her family experienced much prejudice and injustice when they migrated from state to state. Eventually, they settled in San Antonio, Texas, in a poor community in the center of the Westside. Virginia lived a sheltered life in a tightly knit community of relatives and friends.

Virginia dropped out of school in the 8th grade and at the age of 15 married Guadalupe S. Ramirez. "That is what Hispanic woman did", Virginia said. "My destiny was to take care of my husband, raise my children, and help raise my grandchildren." Virginia and her husband raised 5 children, and after the youngest graduated from high school, in 1980, she went back to school and earned her GED. In 1981, she enrolled with the Alamo Community College.

Virginia began her journey with Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) in 1981, after an elderly widow died of pneumonia because her dilapidated house could not retain heat in the winter. COPS is a community church based organization that represented 90,000 families in the Westside and Southside of San Antonio. Virginia's pity for her elderly neighbor quickly turned to anger when she tried numerous times to find her assistance to repair her home. They were continuously turned away or referred someplace else.

Because of Virginia's determination to learn, she quickly advanced in COPS. She was not fearful of speaking in public, visiting people's homes and addressing issues that affect the lives of others in the community, and of learning and researching about those issues. She was involved for the long haul and not the quick fix.

By 1982, she was elected COPS Vice President for her parish, Immaculate Conception Church (ICC). She attended a 12 day intensive training on Community and Leadership Development skills. She took those skills and recruited and trained leaders to deal with local issues. She helped developed two housing target areas and secured funding through community development block grants. She served as ICC Vice President through 1983.

In 1984 Virginia was elected Quadrant Vice President for ten parishes. She implemented strategies for training, helped develop two more housing target areas and worked to develop the San Antonio Education Partnership Scholarship Program (SAEP) with Mayor Cisneros. Simultaneously, Virginia was serving as Chairperson for the COPS organization working to develop a housing strategy called the "Housing Alliance" for first time home buyers.

In the following year, 1985, Virginia was elected Executive Vice President for COPS organization and was the chairperson for the Energy Committee, $100 million Bond Referendum, Absentee Vote Committee, and Get out the Vote against the spending Cap Referendum.

Virginia entered the workforce on March 1988, working for the South Texas Blood Bank, recruiting volunteers. In 1989, she was hired by the UT Health Science Center at Houston as a Community Coordinator recruiting volunteers, role models, and medical experts in cancer prevention.

In 1990, Virginia was elected a member of Project Quest Board of Directors, an innovated job training program in San Antonio through the efforts of COPS, Metro, and the City of San Antonio. In 1996 she was elected Vice-Chair of the Board, where she served until 1997. Also in 1990, Virginia was hired with UT Health Science Center in San Antonio as a Health Care Counselor II. She recruited over 300 volunteers and trained them to educate the community on Cancer, diabetes, and injury prevention.

As a representative of COPS, in 1992 Virginia testified before Congress on the development of Project Quest. In 1993 she appeared before President Clinton and the Secretary of Labor, with a presentation on innovative projects. The same year she appeared before Congress to ask for funding for Project Quest.

In January 26, 1994 Virginia was invited to be a member of a review Committee for Cancer Prevention material. In August 1994 she was invited to be part of the University of Washington-Sun Valley forum which was to develop and implement a strategy plan for the Medical University of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University Hospital to form an alliance between the community and the hospital.

On January 5, 1995, Virginia contributed to an Abstract (scientific paper) that was presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, in Boston, Massachusetts. In October 26, 1995, Virginia accepted the "1995 Innovations in American Government Award" on behalf of COPS, presented by Vice President Al Gore.

In September 1997, Virginia was hired by the Texas Diabetes Institute a Community Organizer and Coordinator for health promotion. In 2000, Virginia returned to work with UT Health Science Center San Antonio until her retirement in 2006.

After a short sabbatical, Virginia returned to work with UT Health Science Center as a Community Outreach Coordinator. She established and organized "Las Mujeres Nobles" and "Mujeres Westside Project", a program to empower women.

Virginia was an avid learner, a wise teacher, and an exceptional leader. The public issues she held closes to her heart were building relationships, city planning, housing, health and prevention, public education, tax reform and zoning. Virginia received numerous awards and recognition for her extraordinary work. Despite her numerous accomplishments, Virginia professed, "I did not travel this journey by myself. It was with the help of many people and through the grace of God."

Virginia Vasquez Ramirez passed from this life to the next very peacefully on March 25, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. She will be greatly missed.

Funeral Services

Wednesday, April 2nd 2025

5:00pm - Visitation

7:00pm - Rosary

Angelus Funeral Home

1119 N St Mary's

San Antonio, TX 78215

Thursday, April 3rd 2025

10:00am – Funeral Mass

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

314 Merida St

San Antonio, TX 78207

Burial – After church service

San Fernando Cemetery #2

746 Castroville Rd

San Antonio, TX 78237