Dr. Marina Vargas Giggleman

Dr. Marina Giggleman, 46, will be remembered for her passionate interest in the preservation of endangered marine life and other animals. Giggleman, daughter-in-law of North Lake speech professor, Dr. Linda Long, passed away April 3, 2007 at Padre Island National Seashore, near Corpus Christi, Texas.

An employee of the National Park Service, the marine biologist and environmental scientist died in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accident while working on Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Recovery Project. Each day she patrolled the island to search for the nesting grounds of turtles to protect them, their eggs and hatchlings from threats.

Coming from Venezuela with a bachelor’s degree in marine biology and not speaking English, Giggleman started a new life in Texas in 1990. She attended the University of North Texas and earned a doctorate in biology.

She moved to Corpus Christi in 2005 when her husband, Craig Giggleman, who is Long’s son, started working as a coastal biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A brilliant scientist known for her love of the ocean and marine life, Giggleman was a voice for environmental matters, and a remarkable wife and mother at home, said Long.

“She lived and left her life pursuing her passion, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire others in her field,” she said.