George A. Torres Sr.

George Albert Torres, Sr, a resident of Tracy, California, passed away peacefully September 02, 2019. George was born April 23, 1943 to Vicente and Adelina Torres and raised in Soyapango, San Salvador, El Salvador. He immigrated to San Mateo, California in 1961. He worked as a busboy in the Bay Area while learning English from watching Tony Curtis, James Bond and Clint Eastwood movies. Through an apprenticeship at Kaiser Cement Permanente with the UA Local Union 393 George trained to become a Certified Journeyman Pipefitter. George worked for 30 years as a pipefitter at Kaiser Cement (Hanson Aggregates) in Cupertino. In his early retirement, he studied hard and became a certified Heliarc (GTAW) welder. Quickly after Heliarc certification, he proudly retired officially and said, “I just wanted to see if I could do it”.

George was the epitome of machismo with a great sense of humor and was always engaging and full of vigor. He was a loyal friend, hard worker, devoted father, and loving husband. George was a lifelong, enthusiastic soccer player and played as a midfielder in the Peninsula League’s San Mateo Internationals Club in his youth. His love of the game was infectious. He was an avid weightlifter, swimmer, and an advanced horseback rider. George applied the same aiming technique he would use in soccer for billiards and golf, making him brilliant at both; including the grand prize for a Hole in One.

George was a self-taught renaissance man who devoted his spare time to study and practice his interests. He was an artist, calligrapher, sculptor, classical and flamenco guitar player. He studied his favorites: Picasso, Van Gogh, Andreas Segovia, Carlos Montoya, Elvis, The Beatles, and Pelé. His love of art started at a young age, documented in his grade school report cards that said his grades suffered because he was always drawing in class. He even applied art in his work to solve pipefitting challenges, using his artist’s eye, drawing it out and getting it done before the advanced mathematics were calculated by other pipefitters. George played the guitar daily and shared his love of music and dancing with his family.

In June of 1969, he married the love of his life, Guadalupe (Lupe) Maria Jaime, and stayed in San Mateo for a few years and ultimately settled in San Jose. Together they had two children, George Jr., and Irene Elizabeth. George loved to spend time with his kids. He spent countless hours creating games, sharing his imagination and enthusiasm for life with not only his children but with the entire neighborhood of Agua Vista Drive. Like the Pied Piper, he always had a pack of kids with him, playing soccer, boxing, hiking, exploring the beach, picnicking, drawing, playing cards, Frisbee, tennis, badminton, bike riding, listening to music, and swimming. There are many fond memories of playing until dark and picnics at Ed Levin Park and Coyote Creek.

Going Forward in his life George then married Veronica Torres and adopted Damaris as his daughter, a little after he had his last daughter Victoria Torres (vicky). Who he cherished with all his heart. They were inseparable, George brought his second family amazing memories.

His wife of 29 years, Lupe, brother Carlos, brother Vicente and sister Lucy preceded George in death.

George is survived by his wife Veronica and loving children George A. Torres, Jr., Irene Elizabeth Engilis, Damaris Torres, and Victoria Torres; sister Annie, brother Cecelio, and multiple Godchildren, cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews.