Margie Giron was born on February 12, 1921. Her birthplace was on the hills of San German in Puerto Rico. She was the oldest child of Pedro and Celsa Ortiz and the oldest of 14 siblings. Her parents were farmers. When she was five, her mother died two weeks after giving birth to a son. Her father soon remarried. As the oldest she would help tend to the younger children and work on the farm.
The family began to migrate to New York City after World War II. Her younger married sister went first and soon brought her and the other siblings. They moved to the Melrose section of the Bronx. She worked in several factories, including a shoe factory. She also worked as a seamstress. The same sister that helped bring her to New York, introduced her to Jose Joaquin Giron. He had opened a photography store shortly after WW2. They married in October of 1949.
In the Summer of 1950, she gave birth to her first born, Joseph Joaquin. Giron. She had three other children. Agustina Margarita Giron, Manuel Giron and Sara Dolores Giron. She was a working mother. She spent hours at the photo studio and at home. Margie had a large extended family. It included her sisters, brothers and countless numbers of nephews and nieces. She loved all of them. We would spend many weekends at family gatherings.
Shortly after marrying Jose Giron she began visiting First Spanish Baptist Church in Manhattan. Her son Joseph remembers the day the pastor made an altar call and saw his mother walk up to the altar. He said Mom was forever changed. She started attending First Spanish Baptist of the Bronx since it was much closer to home. She and her daughter, Agustina, were baptized together. She became a life-long dedicated and active member of the church.
Margie loved to cook and bake. She kept hundreds of recipes and enjoyed trying new ones. She made cookies and cakes for the children at church. During the Christmas holidays she would make pasteles and other great foods like pernil, lasagna and turkey.
Margie loved her children. She had a special loving relationship with her daughter-in-law Ann Giron and her son-in-law Jose Ortiz. She was more than excited when her sons and daughters became parents. She had six grandchildren: Joseph Christopher Giron, Sira (Giron) Ambrosecchia, Jose Manuel Ramos, Catherine Irene Ramos, Evan Emmanuel Giron and Jonathan Joseph Ortiz. She was fortunate enough to see and show her love to her great grandchildren: Joseph Christopher Giron (J.C), Johnathan Christian Giron, Jayden Cristiano Giron, Andrew Thomas Ambrosecchia and Faith Ann Ambrosecchia.
It is difficult to write 97 years of life with a few lines. It’s more difficult to describe a woman, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother like Margie in a few words. Words that do come to mind are loving, kind, intelligent, caring, humble, shy, giving, generous, selfless, diligent, forgiving, tender and devoted. All that knew her are grateful for God for her life and witness.

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