By Bonnie Adams
Government Editor
Westborough – Westborough resident Luis Torres, 75, has more energy and zest for life than people half his age. He still has the crisp demeanor of one who has served in the Army for a long time. His home, where he has lived for 38 years with his wife of 53 years, Berji, is immaculate. But what is most evident about this man is his giving spirit, his compassion for those in need and his commitment to living by the Golden Rule – “Treat others as you want to be treated.” And for those who feel they are superior to others, he has no patience.
“We all come in the same way and leave the same way,” he said in a recent interview.
Luis, who is a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, joined the Army in 1954, and was first stationed in Colorado. Through his distinguished military career of just over two decades, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, he served in a variety of capacities in personnel, earning the rank of first sergeant. For his commitment, Luis was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service.
He also served as a test administer, where he was responsible for overseeing the administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test (ASVAT) at high schools throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
After retiring from the Army, Luis took jobs in office management and sales in the civilian world. He worked very long hours, he said, to ensure he could afford to put his three children through college.
When he finally retired from the corporate world in 1988, life slowed down – a bit. Most days he took long walks around his neighborhood. During the walks, he took to memorizing the license plates of his neighbors” cars in order to keep his memory sharp. His walking hobby led to participation in a fund-raising walk in 2002 for the University of Massachusetts Hospital in Worcester, where he helped raise thousands of dollars. He is still a dedicated Westborough volunteer, donating his time to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion and Senior Center.
And although he is no longer officially in the Army, he uses his expertise to help fellow veterans who are suffering or having trouble getting the help they need.
“If I see someone, I'sl ask them how they are doing and help them to get what they need,” he said.
Luis is also passionate about the game of cribbage, which he first learned to play when he joined the Army. Each Tuesday morning he leads a large group at the Westborough Senior Center. He has also patented a variation of the game, Puerto Rican Cribbage.
This version came about several years ago, he said, when he and his wife were on their way to visit their niece. Using the rules of cribbage, he devised a point system for adding up the numbers on a car's license plate. This could easily be done, he said, walking around the neighborhood.
Adding up the numbers in your head, he said, is “a way to make the walk more pleasurable, seem shorter, more relaxing and more stimulating for the mind.”
These days, Torres is easing up a bit on his commitments, mostly because he wants to be close to his wife, who is confronting some health challenges. He still has plenty of enjoyment in his life, whether it is sharing his hobby of cribbage or reaching out a hand to those in need.
“It's all about what I know, and then passing it onto others,” he said.
