Aurea Elena Torres, 66 years old, was born in San Lorenzo Puerto Rico on August 24, 1947 to Esteban and Francisca Calderon. Aurea ( Cookie) went on to be with Jesus on Wednesday, July 9th at her home from liver cancer, surrounded by her loving family who were praying with her when God took her home. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Dominick Torres, her children, Edenis Torres-Velazquez and Aissa Torres, both of Florida, and her sisters Maria, Maggie, and brother Victor. She was the proud grandmother of her four grandchildren Ariel and Olivia Puranda, and Emilio and Esteban Velazquez.

Aurea moved to New York when she was 14 years old and was very adamant in getting an education. She worked hard and studied by candlelight to fulfill her dream. She met and married Dominick Torres in 1971 and together they rebuilt a house in Floral Park, NY to make it their home. She was a hairdresser by day, and by night she went to school to further her education. She became a Para Professional in a public school and fell in love with teaching. She then became a Spanish Language teacher at MS 67 in Douglaston, Queens, where she thrived as a teacher for over 21 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Queens College and Masters in Secondary Education from Mercy College.

Her thirst for life was education. She helped her grandchildren learn how to read and she absolutely loved learning something new each day. Her family was very proud of all her accomplishments, showing her daughters that there is no age limit when trying to do something good with your life. She was a beacon of light, of hope, and the life of the party.

She was also an amazing cook and took great pleasure in providing sustenance to all her family, friends, and even strangers. She loved to dance and would take all her family members out on the dance floor and make them all laugh and enjoy themselves dancing with her. She loved to tell jokes, even up to last week, and she loved to sing. She would sing to her students all the time and her students remember her fondly as a wonderful teacher whom they all loved very much.

She never, ever gave up on life. Aurea was always helping children, family, friends, and strangers, and she always gave to the charity, St. Jude. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her name to St. Judes Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.