Carmen Torres

(Nee Baez)

Hammond/Gary

Carmen Torres, age 74 of Hammond, formerly a longtime resident of Gary, passed away peacefully on Friday, April 22, 2016.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 56 years, Felix Torres; her children: Anna (Antonio) Holguin, Alice (Antonio) Martinez, Virginia (Epifanio) Feliciano, Felix III (Judy) Torres, and Maria (Felipe) Hernandez; grandchildren: Antonio (Coreen) Martinez, Melissa (Clarence) Carter, Danielle (Jessica) Gamez, Elyse (Kyle) Kurfiss, Christian, Antonio, Brittany, Alex, Briana, Felix IV, Jacqueline, Felipe, and Serena; great grandchildren: Antonio, Andrew Jace, Alyssa, Veronica, Julian, April, and Giselle; siblings: Anita Rodriguez, Martin (Kayt) Gutierrez, Trini Porras, Richard (Gloria) Baez, Daniel (Linda) Baez, Isabel (Joe) Escobedo; special niece Elena Rivera, her grand-dogs Jack, Bella, and Butters; and her large extended network of family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her parents Jesus and Mary Baez, infant daughter Maria de Carmen, siblings: Natividad, David, Lydia, and Mauris; and nephew Joey Escobedo.

Carmen was a long time head cook at Brunswick Elementary School in Gary, Indiana and retired after 37 years. She was a member of the Hammond Moose Lodge #570.

She was a longtime member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Gary, Indiana where she was a Religious Education teacher for 35 years, served as a Eucharistic Minister, and was a member of the Guadalupe Association. She was recently a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Hammond.

Carmen will be remembered for her exceptional cooking, especially her wonderful tamales. She was a strong, beautiful, don't take no mess kind of woman. She was a devout Catholic. She loved her husband Felix, who she called her Pookie, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She touched so many lives with her words of wisdom and our lives will not be the same without her. She will be truly missed.

A mass of Christian Burial will be held directly at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. with Father Charles Mosley Celebrant. Burial will follow at Ridgelawn Cemetery, Gary. Friends are invited to meet with the family on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at Bocken Funeral Home, 7042 Kennedy Avenue, Hammond (Hessville) from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. and on Wednesday at the Church from 9:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. For more information you may call Bocken Funeral Home at (219)-844-1600, or: www.bockenfunerals.com