Art was born on August 30, 1934, was one of seven siblings, and came from very humble beginnings. However, he showed early on and throughout his life that with hard work and perseverance, the American Dream was possible for anyone.
Art is survived by his spouse, Elena Perla De La Torre; son Richard L. (spouse, Laura Tarrango); son Lawrence; daughter Julie Banauch (Horacio Gonzalez); daughter Christi McNamara (Mike). Grandchildren Naomi Olivia De La Torre; Kristian Lee De La Torre; Amanda Pacheco; Heather Hardin; Justin Rojas; Sydney and Mackenzie McNamara. Great-grandchildren Zeven and Orion Swallows; Harley Hardin; Jacobi and Jordan Rojas.
Siblings: Mary Hynes, (spouse Albert Hynes), Rose Peinado deceased, (spouse Arnold Pienado also deceased), Humberto De La Torre (deceased), Estela Pena deceased (spouse Rudy Pena). Enrique De La Torre, spouse Josephina De La Torre, Rita Hood, (spouse deceased, Frank Hood).
Art graduated from El Paso High School, was employed by C.L. North, and later became a very successful businessman and owner of Clowe & Cowan of El Paso, Inc., Grupo CYC de Mexico, and a real estate development called Milagro Hills in New Mexico. He retired in 2011. Still, Art loved challenges and he continued to work on many successful projects throughout retirement.
He also loved to travel. For many years, he and his wife Nena travelled from a small corner of Texas called El Paso to fabulous destinations throughout the world. Not a bad life at all for a man who once delivered newspapers as a young teenager in the 1940s for just a few dollars a day!
A wake will be held on Monday, April 29 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the Rosary to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Martin Funeral Home Central, 3839 Montana Ave. The Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, April 30 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on Alabama Blvd.
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made in memory of Art De La Torre to the American Cancer Society online at its website https://donate3.cancer.org
