Bessie M. Torrez, 86, passed away August 8, 2009, at Hutchinson Care Center, Hutchinson.

She was born April 5, 1923, in Denver, Colo., the daughter of Petronilo and Rejina Moreno Navarro.

She worked at Essex Group as a security guard in Hoisington, Kan., until she retired in 1994. She married John "Chon" Torrez on May 4, 1946, and resided in Hoisington, Kan., until 2005.

She is survived by: her husband, John; son, Arthur Torrez, Wichita, Kan.; daughter, Christine Tonche and son-in-law Marcos Salgado; granddaughters, Jocelyn (Tim) Abernathy, and Libby Torrez, both of El Dorado, Kan.; great-granddaughter, Haleigh Marie (Tonche) Kerns, Hutchinson, Kan.; great-grandson, Joshua Torrez, El Dorado, Kan.; brothers, Peter (Mello) Navarro, Hutchinson, Kan., and Jim (Ruth) Navarro, Hayward, Calif.; sisters, Carmen Mello, Sherwood Ore., Angelita (Reymundo) Rivera, Hutchinson, Kan., and Frances "Mary Ellen" (Frank) Torrez, Hutchinson, Kan.; sisters-in-law, Eleanor Navarro, Hutchinson, Kan., Mercedes Navarro, Wichita Falls, Texas, and Lucia Raigosa, Hernando, Fla.

She was preceded in death by a grandson, Alex Tonche; her parents, Petronila and Rejina Navarro; brothers, Abraham, Mike and John Navarro; and a sister, Loretta Berryman.

Rosary will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, Hutchinson. Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Teresa's Catholic Church, Hutchinson, with the Father Nicholas Voelker presiding. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. Burial will be in Fairlawn Burial Park, Hutch-inson, Kan.

Memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer's Association, or St. Teresa's Catholic Church, in care of the mortuary.

Visit www.elliottmortuary.com to leave a message for the family.