Jovil “Vil” Velez, 47, of West Reading, passed away on April 17, 2026, at Reading Hospital. Vil was the kind of person who told you the truth, even when it wasn’t easy, but loved you so deeply that you never doubted where you stood with her.
Born in the Bronx, New York, on February 1, 1979, Vil was the daughter of Vilma Espada. She was preceded in death by her stepmother, Deborah Anstine, and her father, the late Jorge Velez. From an early age, Vil carried a sharp mind, a quiet strength, and a seriousness that let you know she meant what she said.
For over thirty years, Vil built a professional history grounded in service, leadership, and helping others. She began her career as a healthcare aide, caring for those in need, moved into transportation, returned to healthcare after stepping away from driving, gained management experience, and later returned to transportation as a CDL instructor at BTI. There, she trained the next generation of drivers with a level of integrity and commitment to safety that could not be matched.
Away from work, Vil lived exactly as she pleased. She loved a powerful Sunday service, music that matched whatever mood she was in, getting behind the wheel just to drive, and the feel of the sun warming her skin. She would run out into the first spring rain just to feel it on her face, had a quirky habit of smelling everything before she ate it, and cherished every moment spent with her mother, her small circle of friends, and her family, whether late into the night or early in the morning.
To know Vil was to know someone who was equal parts serious and soft-hearted. She was direct, fiercely independent, and deeply rooted in her faith, yet she loved with a quiet selflessness that put everyone else first. Vil judged no one, listened without interruption, spoke her mind when it mattered, and showed up fully for the people she called family. She had a rare gift for making others feel truly safe, genuinely valued, and completely accepted just as they were.
Vil’s spirit lives on through her beloved mother, Vilma Espada; her son, Gui Colon; her daughter, Jolyse Colon; her step-sister, Destiny Wood; her first and oldest granddaughter, Miyah A. Colon; her grandson, Lorenzo Brown; her granddaughter, Leanora Polischeck; her best friend Vennie; her fiancé, Carlos Ruiz; the many men who loved her deeply over the years; and her close circle of friends who will carry her memory forward.
A viewing for Vil will be held at Theo C. Auman Inc., 247 Penn St., Reading, PA 19601, on Friday, April 24, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., followed by a prayer service commencing at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home. Entombment will immediately follow at Charles Evans Cemetery, 1119 Centre Ave., Reading, PA 19601.
