WEBSTER – Higinio Torres Sr., 93, died Wednesday, December 29, 2021 in Harrington Memorial Hospital, Southbridge after a short illness.
He leaves his wife of 59 years, Amanda Ramirez; 7 children, Carmen Torres of Puerto Rico, Hector Torres, Maria Torres, Carmen Lounis, and Higinio Torres, Jr., all of Worcester; Sandra Torres of Providence, and Madeline Torres and her husband Jose Cedno of Webster; 25 grandchildren, Amaris, Samaris, Omar, Jonathan, Katy, Mizaida, Sandra, Yahaira, Yahitza, Edwin, Hector Jr., Cyntia, Jonathan, Genesis, Nicole, Julio, Jinuel, Jose Jr., Abimael, Antoni, Quiang, Yinet, Stephani, Jonathan and Genifer; 30 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by 2 sons, Rafael Torres and Jose Louis Torres.
He was born on March 5, 1928 in Rio Piedro, Puerto Rico, a son of Catalino Torres and Nicolasa Calderon and was raised there. He moved to Worcester in 1995 and had lived here for 25 years.
Mr. Torres, known as “Cuco,” was a professional jockey who raced horses to great fame in Puerto Rico. In 1968, he won the Kentucky Derby on “Dawn Glory,” the first Puerto Rican thoroughbred with a Puerto Rican jockey to ever do so. He enjoyed his scratch tickets, was a fan of the New York Yankees and liked to watch horse racing.
A prayer service will be held Monday, January 3, at 11:00 AM in Sitkowski, Malboeuf & Hickey Funeral Home, 340 School Street. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Sunday, January 2, and from 10:00 to 11:00 Monday in the funeral home before the prayer service.