Jose Maria Molina

Jose Maria Molina, known to all as "Pepe," died peacefully in the late evening hours of February 10, 2023 at the age of 96 in his home in Kensington, MD surrounded by his wife, children and several grandchildren.

Born in Albacete, Spain to Pedro and Isabel Molina, he was the youngest of four sons. After the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, he sheltered for the duration of the conflict in the town of Tobarra with his maternal grandparents.  His family ultimately settled in Valencia, Spain after the war concluded in 1939. He was educated by the Marist Brothers and received his medical degree from the Medical Faculty of Valencia in 1952. After service in the Spanish Army, he journeyed to the United States in 1955 to further his medical training.

He completed his rotating internship and began a residency in Otorhinolaryngology at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) in Richmond. He completed his residency at the Baltimore Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital where he was Senior Resident and later a Staff Physician. In 1961, he opened his private practice in Silver Spring, MD. Over the course of 30 years in practice as an ENT, he treated thousands of patients and performed numerous surgeries for generations of grateful families until he retired in 1993. In retirement, he volunteered for several years at El Centro Catolico medical clinic.

His talents were many and while his career accomplishments were widely recognized, his life outside the profession was equally remarkable. He was an avid gardener and a self-taught painter, whose works graced the walls of family and friends. A devotee of DIY and home improvement projects, he was on a first-name basis with many of the staff at Hardware City in Kensington until its closing. In his adopted country and state, he became a lifelong fan of both Maryland crabs and the Washington Redskins. He was an active parishioner at Holy Redeemer Church and its school for nearly 58 years, educating his children there and serving on the Parish Council.

He met his wife, Maria Asuncion Giron Blanc, known to all as Chon, on a blind date while on a visit to Spain in 1961 and were engaged soon thereafter.  They were happily married until the date of his death which coincided with their 61st wedding anniversary.  They lived for most of their marriage in Kensington, MD. In retirement they wintered in Murcia, Spain.

He is survived by his wife, five children and ten grandchildren: Jose (Andrea) , Carlos (Renee) , Lisa (Bob Heaps), Ana, Pablo (Victoria), and his grandchildren: Annelise and Ava Molina, Robert, Maddie and Anthony Molina, Caitlin, Maggie and Jack Heaps, and Max and Amelia Molina.

Visitation will be on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at 12 pm with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 1 pm at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, 9705 Summit Ave, Kensington, MD 20895.  Services will be live streamed via - https://youtube.com/live/-y5HSWnVGoI?feature=share