Virginia Mainit Itubay
Virgina Mainit Itubay was born on May 21st, 1937 in Malinao, Aklan, Philippines. The second child of eight brothers and sisters, (five girls and three boys) she was most known for her tenacious spirit and her strong spirituality and devotion to God. In 1980, she had the chance to immigrate to Canada, where her younger sister, Mamerta, would follow her soon after. Virginia held a number of jobs as a caregiver, lovingly providing service to those who needed it the most. She chose to move to BC after living for a number of years in Ontario, and eventually settled in Burnaby. She rarely ever missed mass and attended a number of churches including St. Jude’s Parish, Holy Rosary Cathedral, St. Helen’s, and, most notably, Holy Cross Parish, which was her home church.
Virginia was a unique woman who had her own special ways of giving to people. She is often remembered wearing her hair in her trademark pigtails, together with clothing in various shades of bright, happy colours. She was always able to make anyone smile, even in the saddest of times, and no one ever left her presence without a handful of candy! She also loved to take photos, and has a number of them with family, friends, priests and bus drivers who always recall her with great fondness. She also enjoyed cooking and bringing food to those who needed it the most; she would cook for anyone and everyone always enjoyed her food. Her spirituality and never-failing connection to God was inspiring; she always offered prayers for all sorts of people, often getting up early in the morning to complete all the prayers she had for everyone.
Tragedy struck on January 21st, 2010, when an unknown vehicle hit Virginia as she was crossing Kitchener and Willingdon to either attend church, or to come home from grocery shopping. The following day, Virginia died of her injuries at Vancouver General Hospital. Virginia had always mentioned that she was never afraid to die, knowing that her reward at the end of this lifetime would be a place in God’s kingdom. Although she is no longer with us now, we know that she is truly at peace with our Lord, and that she will continue to watch over us from above. She is survived by her siblings, Alejandra Blando, Juanito Itubay, Manuel Itubay, Mamerta Renouf & Reynaldo Itubay, her many nieces and nephews, and close friends.
Prayers will be offered at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at Holy Cross Church, 1450 Delta Ave., Burnaby where the Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at a later date in the Philippines. Expanded obituary may be read and condolences may be offered at www.bellburnaby.com.
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We are very sorry for your tragic loss. We used to see Virginia at Holy Cross and walking in burnaby. She always had a wonderful smiled and took time to stop and ask dad and I how we are doing. She was a very geniuine friendly person.Our thoughts are with her family.
I and my family our so sorry for your loss, it hurts me so much to see that virginias lovely smile was posted on the light post with flowers under it on willingdon. I heard someone got hit and I drove by and saw the pic from a distance but once I walked over and saw the pic close up and saw that it was her, my heart sank. I never knew viginia but I saw her almost everyday on the 130 bus that runs through burnaby for over the last 10 years of my life. My mom as well she would always see her while riding the bus to go to work. I would see virginia on the bus or walking on the street in burnaby and she always stood out to me. She was really cute I thought in her bright colored outfits and her hair in her cute braided ponytails. I remeber one day I was on the bus and she gave me candy and i said thank you we never talked much but that candy made my day. I would always see her get on the bus and give all the drivers a hand full of candy and I thought wow to bad theres not more sweet people in the world like her. Well now she is in heaven and as she is gone to soon. I can say she will be missed and I know that even thow we never talked her smile and her kindness left a beautiful sweet feeling in my heart and mind for life. My heart goes out to the family and may many prayers be with you…
As a fellow parishioner at Holy Cross, I fondly recall seeing Virginia at mass where she usually sat in the front pew. Although I never had the opportunity to get to know her, I remember seeing her at bus stops in Burnaby and even Vancouver on my daily commute to or from work by car, and once on the bus. I overheard her mentioning to someone on the bus that she just finished attending mass at Holy Cross and was heading to another church to catch the next mass there. I thought that she was the most devout person I had ever met! Surely God rewards His most faithful servants, and Virginia is now rejoicing in Heaven with the angels and saints. May her family find consolation and healing in knowing she had gone to where we all hope to go someday.
May God bless you all.
Tita Virgie was a blessing from God to us. She lived with us for a few years and took care of my sister and I when we were young. She was always very kind and gentle. I always remember her telling me to “Close your eyes and you won’t taste the medicine” whenever I had to take my gross medication. She was such a wonderful lady and it breaks my heart to find out this sad news. Diyos basbasan mo Tita…pag-ibig namin sa inyo at hindi tamaan ka malaki.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Virginia’s family and friends. I am one of those bus drivers who was on the receiving end of Virginia’s thoughtfulness.. How many times have I dropped her off at that same stop? Her smiles and candy would brighten my day.You must take comfort in knowing how many lives this woman has touched. A trip down Willingdon will never be the same. I am so honored to have known her.
i was so sorry to hear about virginia; i;am a bus driver and a good friend many coast mountain drivers knew her very well she always had a good nature about her ;we are all lucky to have know her i will miss my “little candy friend” i will pray for you virginia thank -you for being my friend! god bless you; ian
Condolence to the bereaved family . My mother is mainit too but ..Our roots from corella ,bohol and i know mainit her in california he is from your place in Aklan kura Nelson mainit h.. He lives in corona …so condolence to the family