Community Notification of Passing of Justine Hope Agunos

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Justine Hope Agunos who was indeed a born manager. She will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. She was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with her throughout her life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Justine was an individual who clearly communicated to those around her just who she was and what she was all about. Everyone acquainted with Justine knew her as a well-respected woman who was a stable force in her community.

Justine was born on June 7, 1986 at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California. Her parents were Eduardo Sr. and Mary Ann Agunos. Justine was raised in Rowland Heights, Moreno Valley, California. Even as a youngster, Justine learned to be objective and decisive. Her faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that she carried with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Justine was able to put her natural abilities to work. She was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, she liked to organize and direct. Justine was raised with two sisters and three brothers. Her siblings are Edward, Jennifer, Michelle, Nick, Michael, and Eduardo Jr. Justine had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Justine, this was a natural order of life, one she gladly embraced.

Justine's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during her childhood. As a young girl, Justine enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. Justine took part in basketball and tennis. She was a girl scout. In her spare time she liked playing basketball. Justine's memorable achievements included Junior Bible School Teacher.

In school, Justine was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. She sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of her classes. She would eagerly complete her homework, and often put in extra study time when she felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Justine was always good at following directions and meeting her schedules, whether they were set by her teachers or were self-imposed. Justine’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” She graduated from Rowland High School in 2009. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was College Prep English. The teacher she enjoyed learning from the most was Mr. Pence.

Justine’s practical work ethic carried over into her college years. Her logical mind permitted her to work hard without succumbing to the usual distractions of college life. She would tackle an assignment and work through it before moving onto the next project. Justine’s orderly nature gave way to establishing personal study habits and procedures that not only helped her stay on track but often put her ahead of schedule. When Justine saw the need or benefit, she would willingly take on the extra assignment or even attend extra classes in order to learn more and become a better student. She earned her Bachelor in Nursing in 2014. She was pursuing earning her Master of Science in Nursing with the University of San Diego. Her favorite courses were world reunion, clinical.

Justine was sociable and approachable. Because she was always so straightforward in how she approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. She enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Justine was a member of a group, her interaction worked to keep the others grounded. She wasn’t afraid to confront her friends and, when necessary, she challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Justine came to expect her high standards of performance. While growing up, some of her best friends were Camille, Angel, Romeo, Kristine, JJ, Rhea, Nicole and Cristal. Later in life, she became friends with Zia Ariston and Andy.

An objective and conscientious individual, Justine reveled in the security of her family. One of Justine’s most endearing qualities was her uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and her unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for her family and friends. Justine and Zia were engaged on May 10, 2017 to get married on 4/3/2021 in Thailand.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Justine was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. She was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Justine was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. She worked cooperatively and expected the same from her colleagues. In both her personal and professional environments, Justine upheld her standards. Her primary occupation was registered nurse to serve others and to serve God. Within Justine's 10 year career at Davita she started off as a PCT then LVN, RN, Preceptor, Clinical Coordinator and ultimately became one of the youngest Facility Administrators. Justine was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Justine approached her leisure time in the same manner that she approached her life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, she appreciated the hours she was able to devote to her various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were gourmet cooking, DIY MacGyver, Food Connoisseur. Justine was content to enjoy her favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Justine to do in life and that carried over to her enjoyment of sports. In high school, Justine played tennis. Recreational sports included tennis. She also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were football, basketball, and boxing.

Being generous with her time and energy, Justine liked to belong to a variety of groups and organizations. She was a vocal leader who enjoyed being a part of things. Her desire to uphold traditions and her ability to take charge of any type of project made her a tremendous asset. In high school, Justine was a member of the Honor Society.

Faith was important to Justine. She held high moral standards and was worried about the moral decay she saw around her. For that reason she held deep spiritual beliefs that she was willing to share. She was a member of The Crossing Church for seven years. During that time, she generously donated her time and resources to various church organizations.

As someone who placed a high value on showing gratitude, Justine could graciously accept a “thank you” extended to her by those she helped. However, individual recognition wasn’t a motivating force for Justine; rather, when she saw that there was a need to get something done, she was more than willing to give her time and energy in order to see it accomplished. Some of her most prestigious awards included numbers awards at Davita, such as the Core Value Award.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Justine used her scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that she made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Justine had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included various beaches in the Philippines, Hawaii and Europe and the Disney Parks.

Justine was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Justine’s favorites was small dogs. They were best friends for Bomi for three years, Harley for one year and Rocky.

She is survived by her parents, three brothers, three sisters, three nieces, seven nephews, her fiancée and lots of friends. Services were held at Palm Southwest Mortuary.

All who knew her would agree that Justine was a pillar of the community. She lived her life with her feet firmly on the ground. She had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in her thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. She was willing to share her ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Justine Hope Agunos did her best to ensure that her family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life she touched was given the chance to become a better person.