Armando G. Virgen of Waco, a Texas Baptist pastor affectionately known as “Brother V”, died June 1. He was 99. He was born May 7, 1926, in Sonora to Teodoro and Natalia Virgen. After he graduated from Sonora High School, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Returning from his military service, he committed his life to Christ and was baptized. He graduated from Howard Payne College in May 1951 with a degree in secondary education and taught Spanish at California Baptist College following graduation. At a Billy Graham Crusade in 1954, he responded to God’s call to preach and enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While attending seminary, he was pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista in Cameron and later served as pastor of Iglesia Bautista Emanuel in Bay City and Bethel Baptist Church in Dallas. In 1962, he accepted the call to serve Primera Iglesia Bautista in Waco where he was pastor 53 years before retiring in 2015. He baptized more than 500 people during his 61 years as a pastor. In June 2016, the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas recognized him for 50 years of service. In September 2022, past members of Primera Iglesia Bautista recognized him as a “Legendary Pastor” for inspiring hundreds to know Jesus Christ as personal Savior and positively impacting lives. During the 2024 Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting in Waco, he received the Gary Cook Servant Leader Award for more than 60 years of pastoral leadership. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lupe Virgen. He is survived by son Armando Virgen Jr. and his wife Ruth of Temple, daughter Cynthia Patena and her husband Luiz of Waco, daughter Debbie Shores and her husband Dexton of San Antonio, and son Reuben Virgen and his wife Rosemary of Bethany, Okla.; 12 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and a sister, Dora Granado of Dallas. Family visitation will be at 7 p.m. on June 6 at Primera Iglesia Bautista in Waco. A celebration of life service will be at 10 a.m. on June 7, also at Primera Iglesia Bautista.
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