Carmen Luz Velez

The matriarch of the Velez clan was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on June 29, 1930, and went home to be with her Lord and Savior on April 12, 2022. She was preceded in death by the one and only love of her life, Julio C. Velez, and two daughters, Alice Velez and Rose Reilly, with whom she has been reunited. She is survived by her four sons, – Caesar, Julio, Angel (Jenny), and John (Zulma); one daughter - Carmen (Carol); and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Carmen lost her mother at 2 years of age and was raised by other family members. She lost her father at 17 and met her future husband as she was making arrangements for her father’s funeral. She had no car and had to find a way to get the headstone to the cemetery. Julio offered to take it for her, but he didn’t have a car either, so he carried it to the cemetery. The rest, as they say, is history. They were married that September and were to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997, but Julio passed away that June. Although Carmen was only 67 at the time, she never remarried, always claiming that she could never love another.

Carmen was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease more than 15 years ago. Her symptoms were mild initially and stayed that way until 2019. She was hospitalized that Thanksgiving and placed in hospice care at home in January 2020. This past December, she became less mobile, and finally bedridden. She was often in pain, starting to get more confused about things, and less vocal. There was a steep decline in her health and quality of life these past 4 months, and she finally got tired of fighting. We had prayed for God to take her gently, and our prayers were answered, as she died in her sleep.

In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association, or the fire recovery fund of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, in her memory.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.heightsfuneralhome.com for the Velez family.