Florence Elizabeth Torres

Florence Elizabeth Torres, 77, of Bushkill, passed away in the early morning of Saturday, June 24. Mom left us and was reunited with her husband, John Torres. We know that they are smiling down at us, and will remain with us in spirit. Mom is someone who will always be remembered as "forever young."

Florence who is known to us as "Mom," was born on Dec. 27, 1928, in Manhattan, N.Y. Her loving parents were Joseph Agaton and Elizabeth Erwin. Growing up with two older brothers, Joseph and Alfred, she learned during the Great Depression the worth of a dollar, and more importantly, the worth of loving family. She married John Torres in 1948 and together they parented three sons: John, Joseph and Dennis. As a working mother, Mom had a career with the New York City Housing Authority, where she retired after 26 years of dedicated service. Prior to moving to the Poconos, Mom and her family lived in New York, initially in Harlem and later in the Bronx. Due to her spirit and influence, her family was able to flourish through the years. She was a beautiful person, a devoted wife, a wonderful mother, a loving grandmother, a beloved great-grandmother and a caring friend.

Mom was not a typical retiree and would always say, "This is when you start to live." And live she did! Her retirement years were extremely active. She traveled to see her friends and family each year and when home, she would in her words "Keep on ticking!" Mom was an active member of the garden club, played tennis and exercised each morning. Dancing, however, was her favorite pasttime. And for her, life was a dance. She was known never to skip a beat. She had a passion for helping others and a passion for the arts. She volunteered her time at the community hospital and was a member of a tap dance troop that performed at different hospitals. She was an artist and loved to play the piano.

Mom lived life to the fullest and was an inspiration to us all. She taught us that life was a never-ending gift, made up of both happy and sad moments. Mom had a distinctive way of walking into people's lives and leaving behind a lasting impression. She would always make us smile by the silly and sweet things that she said and did. She succeeded in things that were truly amazing. She married her high-school sweetheart and nurtured three accomplished sons while managing a career. In her early 70s, she learned a second language and lived and studied abroad. She worked hard, and she loved hard.

She was always on the go and approached life with a "happy-go-lucky" attitude. She knew what she wanted and always managed to find new things to do and to learn. Whatever she set her mind to do, she would put all her energies into achieving. She had a beautiful spirit and could light up people's lives with such positive energy. She was a stunning, independent, talented and sincere woman.

The Rev. Father John Lambert will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 30, at St. John's Roman Catholic Church, Route 209, in East Stroudsburg. Following the mass, cremation will take place at the H. G. Smith Crematory in Stroudsburg. Burial of the cremains will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 1, at Prospect Cemetery, East Stroudsburg.

Family and friends are invited to a calling period from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at the Lanterman & Allen Funeral Home, 27 Washington St., East Stroudsburg.