Cynthia Ann “Cindy” (Rodriguez) Torres, 78, of Crown Point, passed away on Monday, November 9, 2026, at Franciscan Health in Dyer. She was born on September 24, 1948, in Gary, to the late Julian Rodriguez and Carmen (Martinez) Merkel.

Cindy is survived by her loving husband, Ralph Torres, Jr.; sons, Ralph (Karla) Torres III, and Richard (Jennifer) Torres; grandchildren, Rachel (Ty Gross) Torres, Alexander “AJ” Torres, and Ryland Torres; great-grandchild, Freya Maeve Gross; and a loving host of extended family and friends.

Cindy graduated from Bishop Noll High School in 1966. She attended Indiana University Northwest where she studied bookkeeping and graduated with her associate degree in 1969. After several years spent in the banking industry, Cindy bravely embarked upon a new career pursuit and returned to school, as a non-traditional student, and obtained her nursing degree. She proudly graduated from Indiana University Northwest in 1991, while actively raising her family and chasing her dreams with the support of her true love, Ralph Jr.

In the subsequent years, Cindy embraced her new role as a professional caregiver, finding her calling until chronic health complications eventually forced her into retirement from the healthcare and medicine field.

Cindy worked at Community Hospital in Munster and with home health services, helping those in need, including terminally ill patients, before stepping away to focus on her health in the early 2000s. After overcoming breast cancer, Cindy served as a teacher’s aide for many years in School City of East Chicago, facilitating the faculty and students, so both could thrive on the job and beyond.

Alongside her husband, Ralph Jr., Cindy volunteered for Meals on Wheels in Lake County and delivered food to those in need. She was also a part of the Red Hat Society for many years. Her family were parishioners of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Gary for over 15 years before it closed.

In her spare time, Cindy enjoyed participating in her generational Bunco club, reading various fiction and romance novels, watching rom-coms, dramas and reality TV shows while avidly shopping at garage sales with her husband. Cindy adored adventure and relished the opportunity to travel across the United States, creating many precious memories from whale watching to visiting family and seeing Alcatraz Island.

Family, however, was everything to Cindy, especially when it came to spending time with her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchild. Cindy delighted in this final chapter of her life and will always be remembered as a loving grandmother.

In accordance with Cindy’s and the family’s wishes, cremation has been chosen. Services for Cindy will be held on Monday, November 16, 2026, at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel, 7535 Taft Street, Merrillville, IN 46410, with visitation from 3-8 p.m. A short memorial service will begin at 7 p.m. A private burial of cremated remains will be held at a later date at Calumet Park Cemetery, 2305 West 73rd Avenue, Merrillville, IN 46410.