Miguel Cruz, 107, of Edison, passed away on Wednesday, December 26, 2018 at JFK Hospital in Edison. Miguel was born on August 3, 1911(August 19, 1911 is the documented date) in Isabela, Puerto Rico to the late Benito Abad Cruz-Winder and Nicasia Rios-Cardona. Miguel came to the States in 1936 and worked several jobs to pursue his education at the City University of NY. His education was interrupted when he was inducted into the Army in 1942. He was assigned to Army Air Force Transport Command as a Radio Operator until his honorable discharge in 1946. He then married his loving sweetheart, Consuelo Soto-Ruiz on March 14, 1946, and returned to CUNY where he received a degree in Business Administration. Miguel was an active, independent and positive person. Sunday was his day of worship at St. Francis Cathedral where he regularly attended the 10:30 mass with his daughter, Sonia. He loved dancing and music, and was well known by his friends and family for his humming and singing. He spent his days reading the newspaper, doing crossword and jumble puzzles, playing the guitar and piano, and challenging his friends at billiards. Miguel was well known at the Edison Senior Center, ShopRite, and could often be found hanging out with his buddies at McDonald’s having a cup of coffee. Being around the family always brought him joy and he especially enjoyed visits with his great grandchildren and yearly vacations in Ocean City, NJ. Miguel loved technology–he had his own Facebook page and enjoyed challenging the computer at poker. At the age of 102, he had his first of three heart procedures, traveled to Europe, and stopped his passion for driving, and at 104 he travelled to Puerto Rico with his son, Pedro, to visit the family. Miguel was preceded in death by his wife, Consuelo, his granddaughter Katie Lee Krauss, and his son-in-law Geoffrey Krauss. He is survived by his two children, Pedro and Sonia, granddaughter Jennifer Greco, three great grand children Valentina, Catarina, and Alessia, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. We would like to note the special sentiments of a very dear family member who is feeling the loss: “I have been trying for two days to find the right words to share the passing of my uncle, Miguel Angel Cruz, but they are just so hard to find. He was the patriarch of our family … the grandfather I never had … and he was one of the most amazing men I have ever known. He was smart, funny, faithful, talented, honorable, caring, kind and loving … I have often said that I wished I could share him with everyone I know because to meet him was a gift … Miguel Cruz passed quietly on December 26th … until very recently he was in good health, mentally sharp, and very active. No one in our family has ever known a world that he doesn’t exist in and he will be missed more than I can express. In a world where heroes come and go, Well God just took the only one I know … I’m jealous of the angels around the throne tonight.” Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 3, 2018, at the Costello Runyon Funeral Home, 568 Middle Ave. (Route 27), Metuchen, NJ from 2 to 4 pm, and 7 to 9 pm. A mass for Miguel will be held on Friday, January 4, 2018, at St. Francis Cathedral, Main Street, Metuchen, NJ at 10:30 a.m. followed by the burial at CloverLeaf Cemetery, Rt. 1 and Rt. 35, Woodbridge, NJ.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Miguel A Cruz 2018.
Death notice for the town of: Iselin, state: New Jersey