Profile Text
Birth Name: Juan Rafael Torruella del Valle
Date of Birth: June 7, 1933
Place of Birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Date of Death: October 26, 2020
Place of Death: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ethnicity: Puerto Rican
Juan R. Torruella was a Puerto Rican jurist, and competitive sailor at the Olympics. He served as Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, from December 20, 1974 to October 30, 1984, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, from September 8, 1982 to October 30, 1984, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, from October 4, 1984 to October 26, 2020, his death; and Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, from August 3, 1994 to June 15, 2001. He was the first Hispanic to serve on the First Circuit.
Juan was the son of Belén Del Valle-Goenaga and Juan Nepomuceno Alfredo Torruella y Casals, who was a dentist and lawyer. He was married to Judith/Judy Wirt, until his death, with whom he had four children, including Olympic sailor Juan Torruella, Jr.
Juan’s paternal grandfather was Juan N. Torruella Molina Torruella y Casals (the son of Juan Nepomuceno Torruella y Andino and Teresa Molina y León).
Juan’s paternal grandmother was Emilia Casals Besosa (the daughter of Francisco Alfredo Casals Aguayo and Francisca Josefa Besosa Rodríguez).
Juan’s maternal grandfather was Rafael Del Valle Sarraga (the son of Nicolás Del Valle and Belén Sárraga Rengel).
Juan’s maternal grandmother was Belen Goenaga Fuertes De Del Valle (the daughter of Dr. Francisco Rufino de Goenaga Olza and Maria Mercedes Fuertes Charbonnier).
Source: Obituary of Juan R. Torruella – https://www.findagrave.com