Gloria Esther Torres

Gloria Esther Robles Torres was born on September 16, 1939 in Florida, Puerto Rico from parents Rita Centeno and Andres Robles. She is the youngest and survived 2 older sisters, Iluminada Carmona and Edith Cirilo.

Gloria moved to NYC in 1960 where she got married and dedicated her life to raising her family- 5 sons and 2 daughters in God’s ways and modeling the love of Christ. From oldest to youngest – Jose Ramon Junior, Benjamin, David, Ruben, Wanda Estele, Aileen and William. She has 13 grandchildren – Tracy, Christine, Gabe, Ben Jr., William Jr. , Alyssa Beth, Faith, Mark, Hanna, Emily, Isaiah, Josh and little Gloria and 1 great-grandchild - Jackson.

Gloria earned a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood development at the age of 54 from Kingsborough College in New York City and always had a heart for missions.

Locally in Brooklyn, New York, she served the local Pentecostal Mission Board denomination church in doing outreach ministries and was the regional children’s director of the 5 boroughs where she planned city-wide social and educational activities for children like the annual Christian Children’s Parade in the summer where local churches would march with their children and youth groups singing and holding up banners professing their faith in the triune God.

At the age of 60 she went on 4 international missionary trips to Mexico, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic in serving the less fortunate, visiting and building orphanages and providing medical clinics in rural areas.

Gloria was a creative and highly talented person who was gifted with a beautiful soprano voice and played the saxophone, piano and the accordion. She loved music, gardening, writing and reciting poems, and most importantly, she LOVED worshipping the Lord.

Because of her life our family learned to live a life of purpose and meaning. We learned to have Gratitude, be Kind, be Honest, Serve Others, and above all else… Love and Trust God with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Because of her heart of service and love, we rejoice and celebrate the love and life of Christ in her life. And as she would always say to everyone “God bless you.” Dios te bendiga.