Ruben Osit Espinosa

Ruben Osit Espinosa (78) was born on July 23, 1944 in the Samar province of the Philippine Islands to Antonio and Celestina Espinosa. He joined our Lord Jesus on Saturday, August 13, 2022 while residing w/ his eldest son, daughter-in-law and three grand-daughters in Clovis, New Mexico.


Ruben spent his childhood and part of his young adult life in the Philippines w/ his brothers Pascual and Maning until he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1965, at 21 years of age. Ruben traveled all over the world as a sailor during which time he met the love of his life, Elvira Arceo Godoy, through a group of mutual friends in Guam in 1974. Their blossoming romance sent them traveling around the world, once again, before they settled down and raised two boys, Roberto and Ruel. From then on, they spent the majority of their lives church planting and spreading God's word wherever anyone would listen. "Pastor Bob" and "Sister Elvie", as they came to be known, were a force of nature together and touched the lives of those they encountered everywhere.


Pastor Bob and Sister Elvie became involved with the ministry first at Temple Baptist Church in Los Angeles, CA followed by Filipino Bible Church in Fullerton, CA. They spent many years there growing spiritually before pioneering and establishing Philippine Community Church on May 2, 1992 with several other families in a small living room in Huntington Beach, CA while Bob still worked full time at Hughes Aircraft/ Raytheon. Now known as Branches Community Church, Pastor Bob and Sister Elvie's labor of love for the ministry continues to reach those called to God's purpose some 30 years later.


Bob deeply loved pastoring, enjoyed reading & studying the Bible, fellowshipping w/ others, traveling on long road trips, relaxing while watching golf/ football/ tennis, and cherished being a husband to his wife, a father to his boys and a grandfather to this three grand-daughters.


Pastor Bob and Sister Elvie were happy with the life they created for themselves and proud of the men their boys had become. Elvie preceded him in death on October 24, 2013 and Bob spent the remainder of his years living w/ his eldest son, Roberto and his family in Texas and New Mexico, while periodically visiting his youngest son Ruel and remaining family in Southern California. Pastor Bob lived a humble and full life serving God... he will be missed greatly and remembered deeply.


** Ruben is survived by his children: Ruel Espinosa & Roberto Espinosa, his wife Cheryl and three grand-daughters Lauren, Vivienne and Dominique Ruby; his brother Pascual (Toto) Espinosa and his wife Emma.


Viewing and burial arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn, Cypress, California.