MartÃn Valcárcel, 83, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on June 22, 2026, in Huntsville, Alabama.
Born May 18, 1943, in Calzadilla de los Barros, Spain, MartÃn spent his youth in restless searching and came to faith in Christ at the age of 26, then answered a call to ministry that would take him to labor in Spain, Cuba, and the United States. For 38 years he served as a missionary in Spain, by God’s grace establishing Hebron Valley Bible Church in Barcelona (in addition to three other churches) and a beloved Christian camp ministry, Campamento Eben-Ezer. Through 54 years of marriage and ministry, his wife, Linda, served faithfully at his side, having left her own country to share his calling.
In 2012, the couple moved to Decatur at the invitation of Faith Baptist Church to establish a Spanish-speaking church in the region. During the last eight years, even as his health declined, it remained his joy to lead Bible studies in the Morgan County Jail, where many men came to faith and were baptized.
He was known above all for his joyful, fervent singing. Encyclopedic in song and Scripture, he was always ready with a hymn or a verse for whatever the moment required, and those around him could sense his pure-hearted love for God as he praised Him and taught His Word. He served humbly and without pretense, giving himself gladly to the lowly work of serving others for Christ’s sake.
In his final months, MartÃn was able to fulfill a long-held hope to publish his autobiography, A Pilgrim Song. The family placed the finished book in his hands only days before he died, a fitting close to a life spent bearing witness to God’s grace.
He was preceded in death by his parents, MartÃn and Eugenia, and his siblings Luis, JoaquÃn, Eduardo, and Piedad. He is survived by his wife, Linda; his children Rebeca (Sammy) Schimansky, Pablo (Mônica), Daniel (Elisabet), and Josh (Marta); his sisters Paqui and Pili; thirteen grandchildren (Marcos, Lidia, Anna Sofia, Caleb, Josh M., Lara, Paul, Samuel, Robert, Evan, Jemi, Nuri, and Josh V.); and a great-grandchild on the way.
A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, June 27, at 2 p.m. at Fairview Baptist Church, 4511 Danville Rd SW, Decatur, Alabama. A second service will be held July 12, at 5 p.m. at Hebron Valley Bible Church in Barcelona, Spain.
The family is grateful for the many people who have donated to make MartÃn and Linda’s mission possible. The “MartÃn Valcárcel Fund” has been created to continue that legacy. It will allow needy campers to enjoy Campamento Eben-Ezer, the camp he started in Besalú, Spain, for years to come.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made via bit.ly/mvrfund or by scanning the QR code below.
