Miguel (Mike) Lugo Velez died Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at the age of 94. He was born in San German, Puerto Rico, on July 6, 1924. He was a Christian and a faithful member and leader of Southwest Presbyterian Church and later Parkway Place Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. He took his family to church every time the doors were open. He fought the good fight of faith and is now doing very well.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Margaret Dean Colvert Velez who died in 2008 and his daughter, Dr. Debra Lynn Velez Owings who died in 1994. He is survived by his two sons Dr. Louis Duane Velez and Michael Wayne Velez; his six grandchildren, Elizabeth Velez Martinez, Jennifer Velez Malone, Dr. Richard Owings II, Esq. Alexander Owings, Dr. Rachel Owings Millner and Meredith Velez Hodges; his nine great grandchildren Isabelle, Jake, Addison, Jack Michael, Aiden, Charlie, John Isaac, Elizabeth (Lizzie), and Margaret (Maggie). He is survived by three of nine siblings, Lucille Askew, Analuisa Bures, and Washington (Tony) Velez. He grew up in New York City and after graduating from high school he enlisted in the US Army during WWII. He met his future wife Margaret Dean Colvert of Sheridan while in training at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock. He was scheduled to cross the English Channel to Normandy, France on D-Day. However, he developed "double pneumonia" and was left behind. This may have saved his life being that this escort ship, the USS Leopold, was sunk by a German submarine resulting in most of the soldiers on board the ship losing their lives.
After his time in the military, Margaret and Mike were married in 1946 at First Presbyterian Church of Little Rock. He graduated from Washington University with an accounting degree. He worked as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service for over 30 years before retiring at the relatively young age of 57. Before and after retirement, he served as both an elder in his church and a scoutmaster with Troop 281 of Boy Scouts of America.
During retirement, he enjoyed walking in the morning and regularly meeting with friends for breakfast at McDonald's discussing life and world events. He volunteered his time by serving with a program helping hundreds of people in Southwest Little Rock complete their tax returns without any cost. He also helped take care of his grandkids while his daughter and son-in-law were in medical school. The most common word heard about him during the last decade of his life was that he was sweet, and coincidentally he loved to eat sweets. He was a humble man never wanting to call attention to himself. His family is thankful to God for his life and legacy.
There will be a private family burial service at Forest Hills Cemetery at 11:00 AM Saturday, January 5, 2019. After, there will be a family-hosted reception celebrating his life at 1:00 PM at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth, 5800 W 12th street, for friends and family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18