Sal Varela, a beloved husband, father, educator, and servant of God and community, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2026, at the age of 87, surrounded by the family he cherished above all else.

Born on December 17, 1938, in Mexico City, Sal carried the warmth of his heritage and the light of his faith with him throughout every chapter of his life. A devout Catholic from his earliest years, he was a man whose trust in God never wavered in times of hardship or despair.

Sal is survived by his dearly-loved wife of 60 years, Gloria, the steadfast companion and love of his life. Together they built a home filled with laughter, love, prayer, and garage sale purchases. Their bond was a testament to what it means to love unconditionally with patience, sacrifice, and grace.

Sal was the proud and doting father of five daughters — Ana-Christina, Alissa, Tania, Laura, and Teressa – and 11 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, each of whom inherited his generous heart, his creativity, and quiet dignity. He loved his daughters fiercely and unconditionally, raising them with both tenderness and strength, and finding in each of them a source of immeasurable pride.

Sal was preceded in death by his parents, Mauricia Franco Varela and Roberto Varela Salazar.

Sal is also survived by his two cherished sisters, Anna Olivia Varela and Alma Margarita “Margie” Navarrette. Long before the world had the chance to witness Sal’s intellect, wit, humor, and acts of love, his sisters already knew it well. As a teenager, Sal took it upon himself to overcome his family’s financial instability by working several jobs and shouldering responsibilities that far exceeded his years, all while learning English as a second language. But what revealed the true tenderness of his heart was this: as a teenager, working for modest wages, he made sure his sisters received special gifts — a doll, a transistor radio, a Timex watch – a reminder that they were seen, valued, and loved. As his sisters will tell you, those gifts were small in cost but immeasurable and lasting in meaning.

While serving his country in the Army reserves, Sal earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas in Houston, his Master’s Degree in Biology from Purdue University, and his Ph.D in Molecular Genetics from Purdue University. He was a brilliant educator by both vocation and calling, who became a popular high school Biology teacher whose classroom was more than a place for learning; it was a space where students were permitted to challenge established limits of a standard science educational curriculum. Despite student protest, Sal left the classroom in 1971 to pursue his next challenge.

Once he left the classroom, Sal found a new and vital calling: bringing peace to public school institutions with the National Education Association. He devoted himself tirelessly to finding common ground between administrators and teachers — entering negotiations charged with tension and leaving them changed for good. With quiet conviction and an uncommon gift for human connection, he brought opposing sides to believe in Sal’s mission: advancing justice and excellence in public education. His efforts at ending short-lived strikes or preventing strikes altogether and fostering harmony were not merely professional achievements, they were a direct expression of his deepest religious conviction that we are called to be makers of peace. Because of Sal, countless teachers received higher salaries, comprehensive healthcare, and due process rights in the workplace.

While Sal’s professional career was defined as a teacher and union organizer, his faith was the quiet architecture of his life; he understood that faith without action is hypocritical. Sal’s life, as every person who knew him will attest, was defined by countless acts of love and acts of service. His service to Aurora’s Hispanic community was among the deepest expressions of who Sal was; an empathetic soul who cared deeply for his fellow immigrants who struggled emotionally, physically, or with their faith. Sal also mentored young men, young couples, and individuals who desperately yearned to renew their relationship with God.

Sal will be remembered as a devoted husband, a warmhearted father, a giving son and brother, a fearless teacher, and a wise yet tenacious negotiator.

A funeral Mass will be held on May 19, 2026, at 11:00 am (viewing starts at 10:00 am) at Our Lady of Loreto Catholic Parish located at 18000 E. Arapahoe Road, Aurora, CO 80016. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the ARC of Aurora in his name. You can donate to the ARC of Aurora by clicking the https://www.coloradogives.org/donate/ArcAurora

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the ARC of Aurora in Sal Varela's name. You can donate to the ARC of Aurora by clicking here: https://www.coloradogives.org/donate/ArcAurora