Ralph Theodore Molina's Obituary
Ecuadorean RootsBorn in the tiny town of Checa, in Cuenca Parish, Ecuador on a mid-summer day in July to Fausto and Martha Molina, Raphael was raised in a family with six children; three girls – Monica, Diana and Jessica and three boys – Anthony, Richard and Raphael.From the day he was born until he was ten years old, Raphael lived in Ecuador with his maternal grandmother. Young Raphael was never far from a dog, his favorite animal by far, receiving a nasty bite on his chin when he was trying to intervene in a street dog battle. That scar, which faded but never disappeared, added to his charm, a symbol of his bravery.Raphael showed his courage throughout his life. When he moved to the United States to begin fourth grade, he embraced the biggest challenge of his young life – living in a new country and learning a new language. Getting to know family he had never met, in a climate that was foreign to him, was a test he passed with flying colors. Zest for LifeThe boy, and then man, excelled at making people laugh. Always thirsty for knowledge, Raphael found joy in reading books and seeking more through higher education. Politics was an interest and a topic which never seemed to bore him. He was always looking forward to the debates and watching FOX news.Raphael prized his collection of coins, basketball cards, and soccer or ‘futbol’ magazines from Ecuador. Some of his favorite memories were from the time when he was employed as a server at Michael Jordan’s restaurant in Chicago. He had opportunities to serve the great one himself and met lots of fascinating people. The money was good and he recalled being very happy working there.AchieverRaphael graduated with honors from Carl Schurz High School in Chicago. He then attended the University of Illinois receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Bio-Chemistry in May of 2000. He was so proud to be the first Molina to receive this status. In 2004 he began a career with Century 21 Real Estate winning the Centurion Award in 2005 and the Emerald Award in 2006. He came back to his first love, bio-chemistry, after his career in real estate. As a Processor Engineer for Hoeganaes in Gallatin, Tennessee, he found his dream job. Loved SportsAlthough Raphael left his native country at a very young age, he remained connected to his roots through sports. The sports teams he most loved to watch were South American Leagues, his favorite being the Ecuadorean Barcelona soccer team. The Chicago Bulls team was tops in his adopted country. Raphael wasn’t just a ‘bench warmer’ or couch potato; he participated in soccer and basketball. He worked out regularly and enjoyed body building. He made every effort to take care of himself.RomanticAfter he moved to Tennessee about eleven years ago, he married Virginia. How could she resist the immaculately dressed man with the engaging smile? Raphael was a very romantic man who translated an English song into Spanish in order to impress his future wife, Virginia. She recalls an incident from an early date, “In February 2002, the first time we were going out, he picked me up. After I finished my classes, he opened the car door for me and his door was still locked, as he was going to his side to get in to the car I unlocked his door. He got in to the car and he was smiling and kind of laughing, he started the car and we left. He was still smiling and I asked him what happened, he said nothing and he continued acting the same way. So I asked again, finally he said I’m going to tell you. He said that one day he was watching the movie “A Bronx Tale” and there was a part where a kid from high school who liked a girl. He invited her out, she said yes, after that he was talking with an older friend and he told him about the girl. His friend let him use his car for the date and gave him some advice, he said when you go out with her and open the door for her when you go around the car to your side and if she unlocks the door for you it means she’s good, if she doesn’t just forget about her. He told me that he knew I was going to open the door for him. He said I knew you are the one. I just knew it in my heart.”Child CentricThe family was always placed first in Raphael’s mind, heart and actions. That heart near burst with pride each time one of his children was born. He was there at the hospital to support his wife and welcome Emily, Fausto and Raphael Jr., even though being there was terrifying for him. He cared deeply for his children and enjoyed spending time with them. The world’s children who are in need and without families were a concern for him, as evident in his request for memorial donations to be made to the Haiti Orphanage Fund. One of the happy moments of his life was when Emily got baptized on November 20, 2011, he was so happy, he was very anxious waiting for Fausto and little Raphael’s turn.Spiritual ThinkerReligion came to be a very important part of Raphael‘s life. He was a member of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee where he enjoyed Bible study. He had a strong faith in his heavenly father and encouraged his children to explore the teachings in the Bible themselves. He enjoyed sharing the story of David. He taught his family that the Lord is to be number one in your life. Virginia would say, “I’d better be right behind him.” Fun TimesRaphael was a hard worker who taught his children to be strong, have positive thoughts and avoid trouble or negativity. He could be very stubborn and stood apart from others because he was always himself, doing his own thing, without caring what other people thought. Raphael was never happier than when his family joined him at the dinner table. He enjoyed all food with the exception of onions and loved to talk while sipping his favorite Long Island Iced Tea. He shared his stories and views about living life to the fullest, working hard and the importance of finishing school. “Virginia recalls,” One day there was a lot of snow outside and the kids wanted to do a snow man. They went outside and started working after a little while I went out, he was on the phone with a client, I started to help the kids, he took a long time on the phone and I started to throw snow balls to him, then the kids saw it and started to do the same, he was trying to defend himself and was laughing at the same time. He hurried up and finished the conversation then he said its pay time baby, and started a snow fight. We all were laughing, he was tickling the kids, I was laughing then he started tickling me, we fell and the kids got on top of us we all were laughing, later that day we finished the snow man, it was a fun and happy day for all of us, the kids still remember that day and we have some pictures of the snow man with the kids. Life Gets SeriousOne of his favorite games with the kids was playing doctor and nurse. Fausto was the doctor and Emily was the nurse. Little Raphael was always in the middle, they use to play this before he got sick. The kid’s favorite medicine for daddy was a wet paper towel for his forehead. Their favorite patient was daddy because he was funny. One day when he got sick and started his chemotherapy, he wasn’t feeling good and he was on the sofa and the kids started to play doctor and nurse then Fausto told him don’t worry daddy when I grow up I’m going to be a doctor so I can take care of you and you are not going to be sick anymore.Virginia remembers, “after he finished radiation, when he started to feel pain in his stomach, one night after we came back from the hospital for the first time, he was lying on the carpet, he was in pain the medicine wasn’t helping I was crying he told me “everything is going to be ok” he wasn’t able to sleep because of the pain, I was rubbing his stomach until he fell asleep. The next morning he told me, “you are my angel I don’t know what you did, but you helped me fall asleep, thank you.”“We went back to the hospital. We didn’t know yet how bad the situation was, maybe he knew but not me. I tried to be with him almost all the time. One afternoon I went home to see the kids he stayed with his mom. I got back around 9:00 pm, he was getting out of the bathroom when he saw me he told me as he was smiling at me, “oh I’m glad you are back even if you don’t do anything but just seeing you, just knowing that you are here with me, I feel much better, I had missed you.” He had told me that like a week before but this time was different I felt like he really had missed me he really meant it and that he needed me to be with him.”“I think that the last thing he told me is that I need to be strong, that he knows I’m strong even more that what I think that I’m a good mom, that he always felt so proud of me and that he knows we were going to be fine. He asked me to take care of the kids and me. And that he is going to be ok. He is going to be waiting for us in heaven.”“I was with him his last moments I was holding him in my arms. I was talking to him, I was telling him that I loved him very much, that the kids loved him. And that he always is going to be in our hearts. He went to heaven in my arms.”LegacyRaphael Theodore Molina was 36 years old when he passed away after a valiant battle with gastric cancer. He is missed by his beloved wife Virginia, his cherished children Emily, Fausto, and Raphael Jr., parents Fausto and Martha, brothers Anthony and Richard, sisters Monica, Diana (Woodard) and Jessica, as well as his many other relatives, friends and colleagues. He will be remembered by those who loved him as “the perfect husband, the perfect daddy and the perfect friend.” It was the kind of relationship that Virginia says “words can’t even describe.”Virginia and Raphael shared a love for each other that was a gift from Heaven. Words could not express the love they had for each other, but they shared cards with beautiful poems inside just to let them know how special they were to each other. Here are some of the poems that they shared with one another:Poems (June 16, 2003)For the Special Man in My LifeWhen two peoplefind beauty in everyday living, And open their hearts to one anotherby trusting, sharing and giving…When two people share a world of love and contentment, then two people truly are ONE.Happy Birthday With All My Love,I Love You,Virginia(February 14, 2008)My Husband….The most special personin my lifethe one I can count onto be there for me,and to care about me.Today and always,I want you to knowthat I’m proud of the lifewe’ve made together.I’m proud of the wonderful man you are.Happy Valentine’s DayWith all My LoveI love you very, very muchVirginia(August 15, 2009) My Loving WifeAn angel surely came to earth when youwalked into my life.The Gods weresmiling down on me when you became my wife.You take me as I ameach day, you life me when I’m low.The vows we made;The bond we share;Dear wife,I love you so.(May 13, 2012)My WifeWhen we first got together, I thought you were so beautifulinside and out.Then we became parents,and I saw a whole new beautyin you as a mother.I’m so inspired by youand your loveI’m so proud to call you my wife.Happy Mother’s Day.You’re the greatest blessing theLord has given me. Through youthe Lord has continued blessing mewith three beautiful children. I’m the most rich and blessed human.I love you and that’s why I treasure you!Love 4foreverRaphael
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