Virginia A. Duran Ginn was called home to be with the Lord on the morning of Saturday, February 14, 2026. She was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer in December 2025 and courageously accepted her fate, knowing the diagnosis had come much too late for treatment. Choosing quality of life over quantity was her last act of love and she spent time with her beloved family and friends, both in the hospital and at her home until her final moments.

Virginia was born on October 11, 1951, in Alamogordo, NM to Ernesto and Elena Duran. She was raised in Tularosa, NM until the age of seven when they moved to Albuquerque. Virginia grew up very close to her aunts, uncles and all her many cousins. She was especially close to her maternal grandmother who lived with the Duran family in Albuquerque throughout her childhood. Virginia was an only child until the age of 13 and often spoke of the happiness she felt the day she learned she would be gaining twin baby brothers. She always maintained a special place in her heart for them. Her excitement grew again with the birth of her little sister, Frances just one year later. Virginia and Frances shared an unbreakable bond and grew even closer as Frances cared for her sister during the last difficult months. Virginia attended Holy Ghost Catholic School and graduated from Highland High School in 1969. Throughout her life, Virginia was a devoted daughter and sister.

She was also a lifelong learner and teacher with a distinguished career. Virginia attended college at New Mexico Highlands and received her master’s degree from the University of New Mexico. She began teaching in middle schools, then became a Bilingual Program Specialist helping the Rio Grande cluster of schools develop and improve their bilingual programs. When that position ended, she served the schools as a Regional Team Assistant, consulting with school principals to improve their services to students. Virginia then took the position of Director of the Office for Language and Cultural Equity which in part helped to support the ESL and Bilingual programs in the district. In her final role before retiring from APS after 30 years, she was the Director of Teaching and Learning Systems, coordinating staff and teacher training for all district employees.

Virginia was a loving wife and an exceptional mother and grandmother. She married the love of her life, Jim in 1977 and together they raised a family, explored the world, and remained dedicated to each other until her husband’s passing in 2015. During their marriage they enjoyed scuba diving, camping and fishing, gardening, and traveling. They were members of Sange de Cristo Catholic Church. Virginia and Jim enjoyed entertaining in their home where there was always music playing, a delicious meal served, and a cold shot of tequila waiting. Together they raised their daughter and enjoyed becoming grandparents. Virginia, her daughter, son-in-law and grandsons had a special closeness and love for each other. They talked on the phone daily, kept track of each other on Life 360 and never missed an opportunity to spend time together. Virginia, a.k.a. Ama, taught her children and grandchildren to seek God’s goodness in every day and be thankful for each other. Her light shines brightly through her family.

Several years after her husband’s passing, Virginia reconnected with an old friend and they began dating. Virginia and Mark spent time together in Albuquerque at her home and in Scottsdale at his. They had many grand adventures traveling together. They shared a love of music, played card games, enjoyed daily walks and prayed together nightly. They were committed to each other as life partners, grew together in their faith journeys and loved each other deeply.

Virginia loved a good celebration. She had a tremendous voice and never shied away from singing whether it was in the Spanish choir at church, at a fun gathering, alongside her friends Sam and Sally up on stage, or in any Mexican restaurant with the mariachis. Virginia was a social butterfly and cherished her friendships. From her very first friend to her very last, work colleagues, her Primos, the Amigas and the Ya-Yas, you know who you are and you were all greatly loved and admired.

Virginia was health conscious and always found time to work out. She enjoyed attending group exercise classes at North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center up until her diagnosis in December. She loved water aerobics, attended Zumba classes at the YMCA for many years and loved to push her grandsons through the neighborhood in their strollers when they were little.

Virginia is preceded in death by her loving husband, Jim, and her father Ernest. She is survived by her daughter Ginia (Kyle), her mother Elena, her sister Frances (Osie), her nephew Philip (Chantell and children), her niece Vanessa (Don), her beloved grandsons, Preston, Abel, and Jude, her boyfriend of the last eight years, Mark Meyers, and many cousins and friends. To have loved Virginia was an honor but to have been loved by her was a true blessing. She will be dearly missed.

The family has arranged a funeral Mass at Risen Savior Catholic Church on Friday,

June 5, 2026. The rosary will begin at 9:30 am followed by Mass at 10:00 am. Interment

will follow at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, NM. A Celebration of Life will be

held on June 6, 2026, and due to the anticipated number of attendees, will be by invite only. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network via https://pancan.org. Please reference that your donation is in honor of Virginia Duran Ginn.