Brunilda Torres Velez

November 24, 1939 – October 3, 2026

Brunilda Torres Velez, 86, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on October 3, 2026. She was born on November 24, 1939, in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, to Damaso and Santia Torres Velez. To her family and loved ones, she was Titi Nilda, Mami, and Gigi.

Over the course of her life, Brunilda left Puerto Rico for Brooklyn, NY and later made her way to Tucson, AZ and Fort Lauderdale, FL always striving to provide for her family and build a better life for them. In her working years, she served in hospitality kitchens, sharing her cooking with private and public clients.

Her faith was the center of her life. Whether she was at the Kingdom Hall or worshipping from home, she always felt connected to her relationship with Jehovah. Next to her faith, nothing mattered more to her than her family. She enjoyed returning to Puerto Rico and New York to visit her many loved ones.

Brunilda loved to cook traditional Puerto Rican dishes, and her kitchen was where everyone ended up. There wasn’t a day the family was without a fresh pot of rice and beans. She had a weakness for seafood and never said no to cracking open some crab legs. In support of this love of cooking, the family once tried making pasteles together, and it was so much work that she had no problem buying them after that.

She was the life of every party, dancing and smiling, and never afraid to take a shot or indulge in a glass of wine. Anyone who spent time with Brunilda knew she was a joker. She always had a joke ready and was never above teasing the people she loved. She enjoyed a long trip to the casino with friends like her beloved Miss Lynn, and few things made her happier than a day at the slots.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Damaso and Santia; and her siblings Santos, Dolores, Angel Luis, María del Carmen, Migdalia, and Vidalina. She is survived by her children, Leonora (Rene) Escobar, Nelson Reyes, Madeline Perez, and Daniel Rolon; nine grandchildren, Javier (Lauren), David (Melissa), Gabriela (Cody), Isabella (Brett), Lynette, Megan, Carlos, Jessica, and Jake; great-grandchildren Aurelia, Teodor, Emmeline, and Elliot; her siblings Rafela, Damaso, Wilson, and Adalberto; and many other cherished family members and friends.

Receiving of family and friends will be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at East Lawn Palms Mortuary, 5801 East Grant Road, Tucson. Receiving of family and friends will continue on Wednesday, October 28, at 12:00 pm, followed by a funeral service at 12:30 pm and a graveside service at 1:30 pm at East Lawn Palms Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Friends of Pima Animal Control Center.