Luz Nereida Shopis

Luz was born April 13, 1922, in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico to the parents Amparo Torres and Rodrigo Velez. She was the older sister to Rodrigo “Eddie” Velez.

Luz’s mother Aparo brought the family to New York City when Luz was a child, with money that she had won from betting on a horse race. Luz had many cousins who remained in Puerto Rico and Luz would continue to travel back and forth to Puerto Rico, along with her beloved aunt Lydia, to visit family, all her life. While in NYC Luz was discovered for her beauty, winning a beauty contest, and began an acting and singing career as one of “Las Tres Bellezas” in the Teatro Hispano.

She met and married her Husband George Shopis in 1940 in New York City. She and George raised 2 children, Jorge and Rodrigo Shopis, in Flushing, NY. Luz comforted her family by cooking traditional Puerto Rican and Greek food. She always had kind words and interest for those she spoke with. She was a wonderful mother and exceptional grandmother. Her laugh was simultaneously glamorous and wild. She cared deeply for people and always found ways to help others. She used to act as a translator to help with Spanish speaking immigrants. She also spent many years knitting blankets for babies born at the hospital.

Luz’s catholic faith was very important to her, and she enjoyed attending weekly mass for most of her life. She is survived by her two sons, Rodrigo Shopis of New York City and Jorge Shopis (and wife Nicolina) of Fairfield, CT; her grandchildren, Adam Shopis (and wife Mia) of Trumbull, CT and Crista Shopis (and husband Kendall Carpenter) of Ithaca, NY; four great-grandchildren Sirena and Aram Carpenter as well as Jorge and Julian Shopis and several cousins, nieces and nephews.

A private family viewing will be held on Monday, December 12, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. at D'Elia Funeral Home, 1300 Vermont Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 12, 2022 at Church of the Visitation R.C. Church, 730 Lynwood Avenue, Brick, NJ 08723. A committal service will follow at Ocean County Memorial Park, 1722 Silverton Road, Toms River, NJ 08753.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.DEliaFuneralHome.com for the Shopis family.