Carmen S. Cruz

When Carmen S. Cruz walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Carmen was and how she impacted those around her. Carmen was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Carmen wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Carmen was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

She was the daughter of Jose and Isabel Soltero. Carmen was raised in Guayama, Puerto Rico. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Carmen might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Carmen was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

Carmen was raised with six siblings. She had one younger brother, Tonio, one older sister, Ana, and four younger sisters Isabel, Saro, Hilda, and Gloria. Carmen was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Carmen was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Carmen well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.

As a young girl, Carmen was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Carmen was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. In her spare time she liked sewing. Carmen had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

Carmen was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Carmen, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Cruz home. Carmen's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Carmen was blessed with two sons, Orlando and Jose.

Carmen was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was Seamstress. She was employed with the Garment district of NYC. Carmen was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Carmen had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Carmen's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

Carmen was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Fifi, the family dog, was a best friend for 4 years.

When Carmen's retirement finally came in 1965, Carmen handled it the way she usually did. She adapted and, like everything in her life, made it satisfying. Because she was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Carmen to master. Even in retirement, Carmen continued to stay in touch with her old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.

Carmen Cruz passed away on April 22, 2013 at at home. Peacefully at the age of 97. She is survived by her two sons and eight grandchildren.

There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Carmen. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Carmen Cruz for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Carmen was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

Visitation will be held on Thursday April 25, 2013 from 2-5:00pm & 7-9:00pm. Private cremation services will take place.