In Loving Memory of Luisa Emilia Torres
Luisa Torres, age 87, of Sanford, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday,
March 26, 2026, surrounded by her family. Born in Estelí, Nicaragua, she was the daughter of
the late Susana Ordoñez Aguilar and José Mercedes Rojas Gutierrez.

Early Life and Passions
As a young woman, Luisa learned to manage a small store. She said that she had a hard time
with mathematics, but she went to the Commerce Technical College and graduated successfully
as an executive secretary and bookkeeper, without having any prior formal education. She
enjoyed her work so much that it was part of her identity. On Sundays she would enjoy going to
church and going to places with her adoptive family and her beloved sister Alba Azucena (RIP).
Her hobbies were listening to classical music, reading major literary works, and writing poetry.
When she was in her early twenties, Luisa opened the Bookstore Hernandez in association with
her adoptive parents, Tránsito Barreda and Rosa Alpina Hernández. Eventually, the association
was dissolved. Encouraged by Luis Irias, son of Tránsito Barreda, and a prominent successful
businessman, she and her late husband, Rosendo opened their own bookstore: "Librería El
Escolar" (The Scholar Bookstore). The new bookstore in town was different. Luisa was very
good at supplying to the public whatever they came asking for. Rosendo did all the traveling
around the capital (Managua, Nicaragua), Central America, and eventually the United States.
She taught her children her strong work ethics and the values of honesty and fairness. Luisa and
Rosendo made their children load and unload the truck full of all kinds of supplies either to
store in their warehouse in the back of their home or to restock the bookstore. They assigned
them with orders to put together and prepare the invoices because the business grew rapidly
and they supplied other rural town stores in the northern region of the country.  Luisa used to
pay her children to make the bows for Christmas gifts. She trained her eldest child to be a
cashier at the early age of nine. In short, their bookstore turned into an office supply depot, and
the textbook store for all the schools in town, which were many. As the business grew, they
opened another store. When asked about her secret for success, she would say: "Never earn
more than twenty percent per item you sell. Charge much less than twenty percent to those
who buy in bulk. Help those who need a little break." Her husband opened a separate section in
their business. He added the service for taking the undeveloped films to Managua to be
developed. He brought the first Xerox copy machine in town. The bookstore was small but well
positioned next to the townhall, court of law, and the post office. The building was the only
three-story building in town right in front of the central park of the small town. They had the
first local delivery system, which was a bike with a big basket in front. Luisa and Rosendo were a
great team. Both were hard working entrepreneurs. They belong to the Chamber of Commerce
of their town.

Journey to the United States
During the civil war in 1978 and 1979, Luisa, faced the loss of their two bookstores and their
home due to city-wide fires that erupted during the conflict. Through resilience, they rebuilt
their businesses and constructed a new house. However, in 1983, Rosendo made the decision
to leave Nicaragua and relocate his young family to Miami, Florida. Luisa stayed behind until
she could not bear being separated from her family. She moved to Miami for good in 1986.

Life in Miami
Upon settling in Miami, Luisa became a homemaker. She learned how to cook and do all the
chores of a house to keep her family provided for. It was a difficult transition for Luisa because
she could not learn English due to an ear infection that left her without good hearing. However,
she became good at baking. At first, it was a hobby, then, it grew into a small business among
family and friends and the friends of her four children. The word-of-mouth spread. She loved
cooking for her grown up children, their spouses, and her grandchildren, whom she adored.

Retirement and Family
After her husband retired, they followed their youngest daughter Carmen Isabel and her
husband Israel Ramos and mother-in-law Rachel González, to move to Sanford North Carolina,
closer to her two sons. Although the transition was difficult, she cherished spending time with
her family and hoped to reconnect with her two sons and stepson after years of them living in
different states. One of Luisa's greatest pleasures was sitting outside with her husband,
enjoying the four seasons, the changing colors of Autum at their own property. She loved
flowers in Spring, the sighting of deer strolling around in the property and drinking water from
the pond. Listening to the singing of the birds was her delight. Watching them cardinals,
bluejays, and sparrows was the best pastime. Luisa had forgotten the feeling of having dogs
around. After she and her husband left Nicaragua, dogs would not last long at home. It was in
her new home, far away from Miami that she fell in love with her daughter's pets. Her special
furry friend was Cooper, renamed "Cooper, the nurse." She enjoyed like never before her
youngest grandchildren in their teen years, Julián Andrés and Emily Louise. Luisa was able to be
closer to her beloved sister "Nena" who left to the house of our heavenly Father ten days after
her husband Rosendo. Now they have reunited in the eternal rest promised by our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ.

Surviving Family
Luisa Emilia is survived by her beloved daughters, Sara Luisa Torres Rojas (Jorge Ubau) of
Miami, Florida; Carmen Isabel Torres Rojas (Israel Ramos) of Sanford, North Carolina; sons,
Manuel Antonio Torres Rojas (Shannon Messimer) of Broadway, North Carolina; and Javier
Torres Rojas (Monique Treshan) of Otto, North Carolina. She also leaves behind her beloved
stepdaughter, Indiana Elizabeth Torres and stepson, Rosendo Antonio Torres (Maria Lanuza);
Luisa Emilia had eleven brothers and sisters, and many nephews, seventeen grandchildren; and
one great-grandchild.

Service Arrangements
Her children will receive relatives and friends on Friday, March 27th, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00
PM at Smith Funeral Home in Broadway, NC. Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday,
March 28th, 2026, at Saint Stephen First Martyr Catholic Church, with Reverend Joseph Pee
Thuruthel Mathew M.S. officiating. Online condolences may be shared at
www.smithfuneralhomebroadway.com.
Arrangements are by Smith Funeral Home, Broadway Inc