Hanford church mourns beloved member who died in car crash

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Hanford community is mourning the sudden loss of one of their own the night before Christmas. Just minutes after Virginia Lowe celebrated Christmas Eve service at her church she died in a car crash.

For those who love Virginia Lowe the weight of her loss is overwhelming.

The 68-year-old was an enormous, loving, presence at her church in Hanford.

"You didn't have to know Virginia to be loved by her and so those who were known really well by her, it feels like family was lost," said Candace Cortez, the executive pastor of Koinonia Church.

She was deeply involved in the community and had spent the days leading up to Christmas worshipping, preparing for the holiday, and most importantly, spending time with those she thought of as family.

Just minutes after leaving church she, for an unknown reason, pulled into a driveway off Hanford Armona Road near 16th Avenue as she backed out of the driveway her Nissan Altima collided with a GMC Acadia heading east.

Virginia was taken to the hospital where she died.

"It just happened so fast, and we literally had just taken a family picture with her less than an hour before," said Nate Ferrier, Friend of Virginia. "In fact, it was on her phone, and I told Virginia, text it went to me when you get home, and she never made it home, and so I'm hoping to get that picture I'm working on that."

The driver and passengers in the GMC were also taken to the hospital with injuries.

Although Virginia didn't have children of her own she became a surrogate grandmother to teens at her church.

"My son is 16 years old, and if I had a late day at the church, he would go find Virginia and get a ride from her," said Cortez.

"She loved teenagers."

"She would take my daughter out teach her how to not only ride the horses, but care for the horses, you know, feed them, brush them, do all that," said Ferrier. "And they just spent a lot of time together out on horseback riding through the countryside, and just had in-depth talks about life and God."

Executive Pastor Candace Cortez said Virginia was involved in many ways from serving on the elder board helping with the church finances to leading the welcoming committee and running the most popular small group.

Without her, they will have to move forward with heavy hearts.

"She's not replaceable," said Cortez. "She's not replaceable, so that's not in the cards for us. We don't get to replace her, but the task will get done, and people will still be loved, but it will feel different for sure."

Funeral arrangements haven't been announced at this time.

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