Beautiful memories of Christmas of 2015-16 ❤️

From our family to you and yours:
Please accept our condolences. Our love and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time because losing someone you love is never easy. 
May the Lord comfort you and your family, because, he is truly a comforter and healer . God bless you all. 
From your sister, who loves you very much, Hilda, and, nieces Mari, Sonia, Desenia, and grandchildren.

Rest in Paradise Tio Chegui, your memory will live through us forever!! Until we met again. Love you!!

Farewell, Chegui, my dear friend and brother.
I will cherish the memories we shared forever. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend and light in our lives.
May you rest peacefully in the arms of our Creator. You will be missed beyond measure — until we meet again.

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.”
— Thomas Campbell

Chegui and I.
Marathon in Boston, during the late 70’s.

Gracias  Chegui por ser mi hermano querido y bailar conningo  en todas y por estar conmigo en las buenas y malas  te voy a extrañar siempre estaras en mi pensamientos.

I saw this photo of them dancing together and it touched me deeply. You can see the love, the pride, and the bond they shared—it’s truly beautiful. I know how much you both miss him, but moments like that remind me his spirit is still so close, still wrapping you both in love. 💖

Thank you Papi Chequi for ALWAYS catching  the sunrises  ☀️ with me.

Thank you for being uniquely you - your wit, humor & love will be missed so very much. We will always remember the many times you & Titi welcomed us into your home with love, laughter & cocktails! Amaury will forever think your old fashions were the very best . 

We love you so very much. May you rest in ever-loving peace. ~ Amaury, Irma, Isaiah & Gian

Even a broken foot wouldn’t stop you from dancing salsa 💃🏽

Gracias por los bellos momentos! Siempre lo recordaremos!

Chegui, querido hermano y cuñado. Usted ha dejado un gran vacio en nuestros carazones. Usted fue un hombre de paz, un hombre tranquilo y gran ser humano. Buen esposo, hijo, padre,  abuelo, bisabuelo y amigo. Gracias por las buenas memorias y bonitos momentos que compartimos junto.  A Mirta y demás familia que Dios les de mucha paz y fuerzas para seguir adelante. Que todos esos momentos que compartieron y vivieron junto los lleven siempre en sus carazones. Con el mas sincero cariño y de todo corazon, su hermano Juan, su cuñada, Jean y su sobrino Johnny.  Que descanse en paz. God bless!

Never failed to make us all smile, you will be missed grandpa. Until we meet again. I love you with all my heart. Rest in peace 🕊️💙

So thankful I got to share one of my biggest accomplishments with you 🎓

All your girls will definitely miss the café con leche dates ☕️

My dear friend Mirta, I’m so sorry for your loss. Even though I didn’t know your husband very well, I could imagine how he was with you  from how completely enamored you were while talking about him. He was your best friend , your soulmate, your partner in crime, the father of your children and the love of your life . And that will always be true no matter where your life leads further into the road. Just know that I love you so much and that heaven is lucky enough to have been bestowed a newly formed angel like him to watch over you and your family. Once again my love: me , my husband , and my two girls give condolences to you and your family for loss.

Your friend forever,

 Yomary Ubior

It is with a heavy heart, but sincere gratitude that I write this… 
Papi Chegui, 
I was blessed to have known you, love you and be loved by you.  You (& Mami Luly) welcomed my family instantly and endlessly into yours over 20 years ago.  Since then, you treated and loved my sister Yanira like a daughter.  You vibed with my father Dennis, like two jibaros. You were an exceptional grandpa to my nieces Emma & Mia.  And you extended that same love & energy to me and my daughter Sofia.  I will hold onto all the wonderful memories of love, laughter, cold beers & salsa music! We will miss you! 

To Mami Luly, Omar, Gissy, Josh, nieces Emma & Mia and the entire Velez family - I pray that God give you strength & peace.  Love you all and God Bless!

We grew up together in the same street when we were kids , went to school played sports together , especially baseball and hockey ..we would go to the big park behind St. Paul’s church to play baseball and hit the ball up the hill into the woods , and in the blizzard of 78 we dug out a big are of snow to play for the whole week you were the best goalie  we had when we played , with make shift foam pads from old sofas, and after drinking raw eggs would go to the Charles river for a run  What were  we thinking 🫣🤗drinking those and then went running at the charles river for a few miles , then go shadow boxing in a gym across the old Boston garden above the McDonald’s…..

🙏 thank you for inviting us to be there with you on a special day , your big 60  🫶🏼

I always appreciate your invites to be with you and family to celebrate life , we would go to car shows up in Massachusetts where we grew up , and taste all different types of beers ..watched football together mostly for the playoffs , baseball and of course hockey …

You were always there to join us and accept us to be part of your journey with your family , where ever we could be ,

Tio Chegui, thank you for the beautiful memories, the laughs, the love shared between our families and the friendship you shared with my parents. You will truly be missed, forever grateful to you. 
Love always,
Adlin y Familia

March 2022 at the residence of Socorro & Eva's home in Orlando. From left to right: Diana, Socorro, Mirta, Chegui, Papo, Doña Antonia and Eva. A wonderful visit that will forever be in our hearts. 💕

First Watch - His Favorite Breakfast Joint

Tita’s 90th Birthday Boil….. intro to snow crabs!!!!

Papi Velez, 

Sir, thank you for allowing me the honor of knowing you. From the very first moment, I could feel the depth of your presence through the way your family responded to you—with admiration, respect, and love.

Gissy speaks of you every single day, and when I met you, I instantly understood why. You were exactly the man she described—quiet yet powerful, steady yet commanding. Your presence alone brought peace, safety, and comfort to those around you.

You are deeply missed, and that will never change. But in time, as the pain begins to balance with the love you left behind, your spirit will only grow stronger in the hearts of everyone who loves you.

As promised, I will do everything in my power to protect, honor, and care for Gissy—just as you would have wanted.

Thank you for the memories, especially our “fight night”, the greatest fight of 2025 that we stayed up past midnight to watch together. And for the record, on Sunday, October 5, 2025, the Patriots beat the Bills 23–20. I know you’d have loved that one.

Rest easy, Sir. Your legacy lives on through her—and through every person blessed to have known you.

Growing up at St. Paul’s as youths of our community we all had the sense of family even though we were not related. First communion, becoming alter boys and as we became young adults going to family gatherings and parties. We all had a good time and laughters. I’ll never forget years later that Chegui was very fit and invited me to go jogging with him at Franklin Field. I was exhausted 😮‍💨. So I thought we would take the MBTA bus back home, but he made us walk back. LOL!! I will cherish that moment and will miss him. My sincere condolences to Mirta  and your family. With thoughts and prayers and our love of Family. 
Jose Rafael Martinez (Papo)

Dearest Mirta , 
You and Chagui were the ultimate duo, I’m so sorry for your lose .. There are no words for the legacy Chegui  has left on our family, his shining personality will live on in our hearts. Chegui has made a difference in so many lives I’m grateful to have been  a member of his family .. love Mela

Remembering all the good times together. Cheers Cheg!

In loving memory of Uncle Chegue, gone far too soon.
Everyone’s favorite uncle ,  full of life, full of laughs, and always the source of good times. The King of Salsa, with dance steps as smooth as the joy he brought into every room.
We’ll deeply miss your company, your smile, and that jazz music you’d put on when it was time to let everyone know the night was winding down. Thank you for the deep conversations, the love you gave so effortlessly, and all the unforgettable moments you shared with us.
Your presence was a gift, and your memory will live on in every laugh, every song, and every dance.
With love, Joel and Ki

In his element!!! I will never forget how much he loved making music and how I felt watching him in his element! 🥹🙏🏼

We are sorry for your loss, the light Tio brought into the world will be sorely missed (and is honestly still very much needed…). We will always remember his laugh, smile and kindness. May the outpouring of love you receive help you and your loved ones ride out the difficult storm.

Mi Guichi, nadie te quita lo bailado y lo vivido.  May I visit you often in my memories and in my dreams. 
Your older sister, Migdalia 💜

Hi Titi, I love you so much!!!

I just got the news about Chegui. I'm so sorry for your loss.  He was and still is an amazing man.  I loved talking to him and hearing him talk about his Boston sports teams.  He will be missed so much.  I always considered him more than an Uncle. I admired your marriage and I still hope that I can have a small percentage of what you both shared. 

I honestly hope that I can be the man he was.  ❤️ 

I love you and I always have and will.   You're my Titi.  ❤️

My condolences to you, sister, Jose Luis's family, and those closest to him. Losing someone is never easy, but please know that I LOVE YOU, even with the distance apart. Chegui was a big part of your life and also the people who knew him. He was a good man. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers throughout this very difficult time. May the memories and love you share throughout the years help you find comfort and acceptance. YOU WILL BE HIS LOVE FOREVER. Please reach out if there's anything at all that I can do for you.

I couldn't ask for a nicer, more thoughtful, generous and loving big brother.  I will miss our talks more than anything.  Rest in peace my sweet and beautiful brother.

There's much to say about the wonderful man  that was Papi Chegui. One of my first memories was on a visit that Mami Luli and Papi Chegui (Notice that it’s not Mirta and Jose) made to my sister Yanira’s home in Boston.  When I first met them it was like we had known each other for years. Their kindness and love was evident in the way I was greeted, the tightest hug ever! 💕What really stood out was the love they had for each other…it was the way he looked at his wife even when he thought no one was watching. Chegui exuded love,  so much love for his, wife, children, grand children and most recently his great grand-daughter! He just loved family all together.  Chegui loved and needed family like the air we breathe. In my opinion, nothing made him happier. Something else that he was very fond of, as if you didn’t already know, was his “Salsa” music. Chegui shared his enthusiasm of his music with my Dad, Papi Dennis. 🪘I imagine them playing the congas together now…right above the clouds. I will always remember him as a wonderful, musically inclined man who had the gift of love to share with everyone. My most sincere condolences to all the family. Rest in peace Papi Chegui, you will always be loved and will be missed but never forgotten. 
Angie 💓🙏🏽

To the Velez family Mirta and my nieces. 
Wanted to take the opportunity to share what a powerful impact Mr. Jose Velez (Chegui) has left in this earth. No one is perfect, but this much I know. It does matter how we treat people while we have the opportunity to live in this world. Jose Velez and his beautiful wife Mirta did that for me and my family. For some people it may not mean a thing but for myself and I sure feel I can speak for members of my family, loving on people is surely meaningful and impactful it feels amazing when non blood related people treat you like family and make you feel like we are the most important people in their life. That’s how Chegui and Mirta treated us when we met, and when we invaded their home on a family vacation. One of the best vacations I’ve ever had in my life 😊. Mirta I believe this is what made you and Chegui unique. I will always remember what a cool person you were while you had the opportunity to live your life. It’s not good bye for me but see you later! Rest easy Chegui ! My prayers for you all.
Love 
Betsey

The day he met his great granddaughter. Can’t wait to share stories with her. We love you papi chequi 💙

Family beach day in New Smyrna. It down poured and we had to hold down the tent. Good times!

OBITUARY

Jose Luis "Chegui" Velez

February 28, 1963 – October 5, 2025

Baldwin-Fairchild Oaklawn Chapel & Oaklawn Cemetery

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