Ruben Cruz

CRUZ, Ruben (Joe) Duarte, 79, passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on Monday, March 28, 2016. He was born in Ruby, Arizona on April 13, 1936. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jose and Eliza Cruz, sister Romelia Duponte, and half-brother Joe Cruz. He leaves his wife of 35 years, Marlene (LeRoy) Cruz, sister-in-law Linda LeRoy, sisters Rachel Ortiz (whose husband Rupert is deceased) and Rosario Waters, and brother, Robert Cruz (whose wife Vicenta is deceased). Preceded in death by his former wife, Sonya J. Cruz. Survived by their children, Michelle Brown (Kevin) and Joel Cruz, and grandchildren Zachary, Jesse (Samantha), Rachel & Savannah Brown, Tyler and Kyle Cruz, and Matthew Snyder. Ruben lived in Arizona his whole life. He loved the desert, and loved to go on long walks in the valley or on Mount Lemmon. An avid golfer, he loved to play golf no matter how cold, hot or windy it might be. He loved all sports, and was a faithful fan of the San Francisco 49ers. He was previously employed at Rush Truck Centers (formerly Southwest Peterbuilt), Hughes Aircraft, and M.M. Sundt Corporation. He retired when he was 65. He was the most kind and generous man that one could ever hope to meet. He loved people and animals and would go out of his way to help them. He always made people feel like they had known him for years, even if they had just met. He would give you the shirt off of his back if he thought you needed it. You could never tell him you liked the hat he was wearing or the jacket or whatever, as he would immediately take it off and give it to you. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and would entertain a crowd with his amusing stories. Even with Alzheimer’s, some days you would get a little bit of his humor shining through. We are indebted to his primary caregiver, Mike Pici, who helped take care of him for the last 2 ½ years. He was kind & compassionate and treated him like one of his own family members. He went above and beyond to do everything possible to make our lives easier. He will always remain an integral part of our family. Thanks also to Shirley Trent who graciously filled in on occasion when needed. We are also grateful for the extraordinarily compassionate care given to Joe and our family by Carondelet Hospice in the last weeks of his life. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Further details as they become available will be provided on this website. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Desert Southwest Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Carondelet Hospice, Humane Society of Southern Arizona, or a charity of your choice.