Our Lord called Virginia Bravo Loya home on Friday, July 12, 2024, at the age of 72, in the presence of family in Ventura, California. She was an extraordinary mother, grandmother, sister, and family member, a lifelong devout Christian, and a historic juror in the 1992 Rodney King Trial—whose faith, love, and commitment to justice touched many lives.
She is survived by her son Edward J. Loya, Jr., daughter-in-law Raquel O. Alvarenga, and granddaughter Raquel O. A. Loya (of Dallas, Texas); her daughter Gina L. Lozano and grandchildren Miguel Jr., Gabriel, Jannine, and Samuel (of Ventura); her daughter Lisa Castro, grandchildren Robert, Isaiah, Angeline, Elijah, Zechariah, and Jeremiah, and great grandchildren Avery, Riley, Logan, Isabella, Joshua, and Gianna (of Ventura); her sister Linda Galvan (of Oxnard, California), her identical twin sister Victoria Ortega (of Santa Barbara, California), her half siblings Doris Vitela Muniz (of Jarrell, Texas), Bridget Vitela Garcia (of Ventura), Sally Ann Vitela Alcantar (of Hidalgo, Texas), and John Vitela Jr. (of Ventura), and their families, including her godson, Michael Galvan; her aunts Virginia Salas and Evelyn Loza and uncle Martin Cobos (of Ventura), and their families. She is preceded in death by her father Manuel Baca Bravo (of Los Angeles, California) and her mother Sally Cobos Vitela (of Ventura).
Virginia was born and raised in Ventura. She graduated from Ventura High School in 1969 and raised her family in Santa Barbara and Ventura. In 2003, Virginia retired as a housekeeper for the County of Ventura.
In 1992, Virginia made history serving as a juror in the Rodney King Trial in Simi Valley, California. While a majority of the jurors voted to acquit all four officers of all charges, Virginia fought to convict LAPD Officer Laurence Powell for use of excessive force, ultimately hanging the jury on that count along with three other jurors. The trial and jury sequestration were difficult for her and, at night, she wept, prayed, fasted, and asked the Lord for strength and guidance. During deliberations, Virginia explained to fellow jurors, “I would run, too, if they were swinging at me like that.” When the jurors watched the video of the incident and another juror tried to justify the beating saying, “see, there, he [Rodney King] deserved it,” Virginia addressed that juror directly, stating, “No one deserves to be beaten.”
After the trial, journalists from national and international news media outlets camped outside her family’s home in Saticoy, a small agricultural community in Ventura’s East End. As the country recovered from the riots, Virginia agreed to be interviewed by the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and other publications because she wanted the public to know that some jurors tried to do the right thing.
She told reporters for the Los Angeles Times, “I tried as hard as I could. I’m sorry some people couldn’t see what was wrong. I’m sorry some people just didn’t try to open their eyes. I just wish it would have come out differently.”
Virginia’s experience as a juror inspired two of her children to pursue careers in support of the justice system. Her son, Edward, graduated from Stanford Law School and served with distinction as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.; he is now a lawyer in private practice in Dallas. For over twenty years, her daughter, Gina, has served as a judicial assistant for judges on the Ventura County Superior Court.
Virginia’s role in the Rodney King case is emblematic of her purposeful life. She raised her children to be faithful Christians, taking them to Church every Sunday and teaching them to quote the Scripture. She urged them by example to be servants of God, stopping the car many times to give money and food to homeless persons she observed on the side of the road.
She loved to shop at thrift stores—which she referred to as her “favorite store”—and garage sales, often bringing home used books about historical figures for her son to read. She loved to collect Presidential memorabilia and newspaper clippings from Presidential elections. She kept enlarged photos of President Ronald Reagan and Hillary Clinton in a prominent place in her home, further demonstrating her maverick spirit. She loved decorating her home with themed items featuring the American flag, purple Irises, and lighthouses.
She was very proud of her children and grandchildren and loved spending time with them. She relished the opportunity to spoil them with food and desserts, as well as special gifts from the QVC home-shopping network. Her favorite family tradition was cooking tamales for Christmas with her daughters and family.
She lives on in all that her family does. She will always be with us and we will always be with her. Her family will see her again.
A Memorial Mass will be held in Ventura on Saturday morning, July 20, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church. A reception will follow.