Name: Berry Funeral Home
Address: Knoxville, TN

I'm so sorry! Your mom was so great. I'm sure she is just as much fun for everyone in Heaven!

Such a sweet and beautiful lady inside and out - may all your precious memories and presence in Christ be a comfort to you all. So thankful for your family in our lives!

Your family is in our prayers. Gods Peace be with you.

I just learned your news last night. Please know how much I admired and loved your beautiful Mother. Your family is in our prayers.

I am so sorry and know you will miss her! We can know it is for the best, but we love them and want them with us. I am praying for your family and hope God shows you joy and peace this Christmas!

I am so very sorry for the loss of your mom, She was a great lady!

I'm so sorry! Your Mother was always a kind, precious & beautiful soul. Prayers~

Praying for your family! My mom sure enjoyed your mom! We were blessed to have such godly moms!

Your Mom is a beautiful woman who always made me smile. Sorry for your loss, but happy that she is home and free.

So sorry!! Your mom was indeed a special lady!!

Your mother was precious and was well loved. While I am saddened for your family's loss, "to be absent from the body is to be in the Presence of the Lord." May the LORD grant much comfort to each of you and wrap His loving arms around all of you. We loved your parents!

So saddened to hear of your mothers passing. She was always such a lady with the kindest heart. Praying for your family during this season.

BIG hugs to you all!! We will be praying for you all as you walk through these next difficult days... so sweet that you have the assurance of seeing her again on the other side! Merry Christmas to all.

I am so sorry for your loss. Your Mom was such a sweet lady! But Christmas in heaven- how glorious! Your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

Oh how Jim and I loved your mom and dad! Gods comfort in the weeks ahead. These pictures tell a story of a beloved woman! What a beautiful legacy.

Beautiful pictures. What a great job showing her life & the family Buddy & Charlotte created. Thank you for sharing their legacy!

Bless you all. Your mom and dad - such wonderful people.

So sorry for your loss of your mother. She was such a wonderful person! I have fond memories of her from all the years we spent watching the boys play football and baseball.

Lots of prayers and love to all the family. Wonderful pictures. A beautiful life and legacy indeed.

Prayers are being lifted for your family.

I was in Knoxville this past weekend and saw this in the paper but did not know how to get in touch. I am so very sorry for your lost. My prayers are with you all.

I'm so so sorry. She was a wonderful woman.

I hate to hear this! I'm praying for you! I kept asking about her while I was on maternity leave. It breaks my heart, but I'm glad to know she isn't in any more pain!

Such a wonderful godly woman! Love the pictures! Your family is in my prayers during this difficult time. (Yet such a time to celebrate as well knowing your wonderful mom is with our Savior!)Prayers for all!

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. She was a wonderful lady and was so kind to a cocky little HS kid back then, God bless you and your family !

What a beautiful godly woman who raised an amazing family (and loved so many tag-alongs like me so well). Our hearts & prayers go out to Buddy & the whole family. She was one of a kind, & I was blessed to know her.

Oh!!!!! I am so sad and so sorry to hear this. I so love your mom (and dad and entire family)! Oh....I am so so so sorry. What a hero! She knew how to speak truth more than just about anyone I've ever knew. She was also one of the silliest goofballs on the planet.

Your Mom was a special one, love her. She was always so kind, real, and encouraging to me with her comments and insights! I can remember much of what she shared with me. Hugs to each of you!

I am sad for your loss of your precious- loving Mom- I saw her last at Cedar Springs Christian Store- I love both of your parents and have watched their Godly lives and example through the years.

So sorry about the loss of your mom. She was a wonderful lady. We are praying for you and your family.

I'm praying for your peace and for joy in knowing she's with Jesus. I'm so, so sorry for your loss.

Love your Mom, she was always so kind, real and encouraging to me! Hugs to each of you!

Oh, I am so sorry for your loss. Your Mom was such a sweet lady! But Christmas in heaven- how glorious!  You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

My heart mourns and yet celebrates this bittersweet time. My mother passed Christmas Eve 2012 and celebrated the holiday with Christ and I can empathize with you. So here's a hug from me and a prayer for you and your family for comfort, peace, and a renewing of the joyful hope we have in Christ.

Your mom was such a sweet soul.Sending you love and prayers to your family.

Oh Cruze family... how Jim and I loved your mom and dad! Gods comfort in the weeks ahead. These pictures tell a story of a beloved woman! What a beautiful legacy.

Bless you all.. Your mom and dad - such wonderful people.

So sorry for your loss. Your mother was such a wonderful person! I have fond memories of her from all the years we spent watching the boys play football and baseball.

Lots of prayers and love to you all the family. Wonderful pictures. A beautiful life and legacy indeed.

Oh, Kay!!!!! I am so sad and so sorry to hear about your mom. I so love your mom (and dad and entire family)! Oh....I am so so so sorry. What a hero! She "raised" many. Oh, how thankful I am for her! I am just now reading the reports of her death. I am grieved. Your mom has been a marker in my life....a truth teller, a truth seeker, a comic, the heart of your family, the fire of so many souls. She lives! She is known by the fruit she has borne--NOT just her family, but of so, so so, so many who were encouraged, instructed, helped, consoled, and kicked in the rear by her..! Oh, what a light she is to my life. Oh what a beacon she is for your family. Much, much, much love.

The Cruze family impacted my life in many wonderful ways and my memories of those early days are so valuable.  Both Charlotte and Buddy were second parents to me, so open and candid and their Godly discipline (which I needed) was well-received.  Anyone who crossed the path of Charlotte or Buddy will never forget either of them.  I can still see the astonishment on Charlotte's face when I told her I did not like mashed potatoes and her laughter when she saw me eat them for the first time in her home and love every bite!  Much love and peace to all the Cruze family, down to the youngest of the great grands.

I guess it is not very common for someone to write in the guest book AFTER the funeral, but I was so impressed with the service for Charlotte today, that I felt like I needed to add a P.S. to my comments of yesterday.

It was undoubtedly the sweetest,  most reverent funeral that I have ever attended.  The preacher was great and the music and singing was inspiring.  I have never met Kay, but I think that was her with her daughter and granddaughter singing together in beautiful harmony.  When they sang "Jesus Loves Me" I just about lost it.  What a wonderful service and tribute to Charlotte and I'm sure she was looking down proudly.  The whole funeral was done with dignity and class.  Thank you Cruze family, for allowing us to share in your loving testimonial to the matriarch of your family.    David Lawson

Dearest Buddy(L.), Buddy (B.),Helen, Debbie, Blair, Guille, Carol, Kay and Randy,
There are few words to describe the Christ- love, admiration, and deep respect Diane and I and our children have for dear Charlotte! From the moment, I met Buddy (B.)  in 1974 and then Charlotte and Buddy (L.), Charlotte and Buddy acted as wonderful spiritual parents to me while I was in graduate school at UT, then with our family,and still are today! Charlotte's (and Buddy's) love and acceptance of me and later in 1983, after marrying my wife Diane and then having our 3 kids, WE ALWAYS FELT CHRIST'S LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE IN AND THROUGH HER. SHE WAS AND IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF FAITH IN CHRIST, DEEP TRUST IN HIM, AND CONSISTENTLY LIVED OUT GOD'S GRACE before Diane and I and our children, Tyler, Tate, and MaryClaire! I will never forget her staunch passion for Christ and all He stands for during many summer days spent writing graduate school counseling papers and fellowshipping with her at the Cruze  kitchen table! When she felt strongly on a spiritual issue, you knew with crystal-clear clarity where she stood for and in Jesus Christ! Charlotte was forever interested in my, Diane's and our three children's spiritual well-being...first and foremost! Charlotte, we are so thankful for your distinct Christ honoring life! We will never forget you and the Christ-honoring legacy you built into the Patterson Family for 43 years! We cannot wait to renew and extend forever our intimate friendship and relationship in Christ in heaven! We Love You Charlotte, (Madre)!  Mark, Diane, Tyler, Tate, and MaryClaire Patterson

We loved looking at the pictures.  She had such a wonderful life so full of Christ's love.  She has left a beautiful legacy.  We are thinking and praying for you today.  
Love Tommy Wilkerson and family

When I was in the 6th grade at Fair Garden School (about 1952) we lived on Castle Street in East Knoxville and my parents decided to sell our house and move out to the county.  One day I heard someone knocking and when I opened the door, there was a young, good looking couple standing there inquiring about buying our house.  The man looked about 12 feet tall and his wife was very pretty with a beautiful smile.  I did not know her, but I immediately recognized the man as the famous Buddy Cruze.  He was already a legend at Ole' Knox High and East High School.  That young couple was Charlotte and Buddy Cruze.  They bought our house as their first "starter house" and we moved outside the city.

Since I had played football with the East High Midgets and since I thought Buddy walked on water, I had always wanted to play for East High School.  As it turned out, my parents hated where we moved, and I took advantage of that and pestered them to move back to where I could play for East.  Ironically enough, two years later we moved back to Castle Street only 5 houses up the street from Charlotte and Buddy.  I got to live my dream and played football, baseball, and ran track for East all 4 years.

The years flew by as I went to college, played football at Dartmouth, married my East High School sweetheart 52 years ago, had 4 great kids, and 5 amazing grandkids.

After about 5 decades, I was fortunate enough to meet up with Buddy and Charlotte again after getting involved with the EHS Alumni Association (Buddy was in the Class of 1952, I was in the Class of 1960 and my wife (Cindy) was in the Class of 1961).  It was my extreme privilege and honor to help induct Buddy into our first EHS Hall of Fame.  It was also a thrill to have his good friend and Vol teammate (Johnny Majors) to introduce him that night.

Over the past few years I have seen Charlotte and Buddy several times and visited in their home.  To me they have been the epitome of a loving couple with class.  After all these years, Buddy is still the same sharp, educated example of a great husband, father, and grandfather. And, Charlotte was still the perfect wife, mother, and grandmother.  She still had the same sweet, beautiful smile and disposition she had when I met her over 60 years ago.  What a wonderful couple and example for any of us to try to emulate.

Buddy and family, I am so sorry for your loss of Charlotte.  She was a wonderful lady and I'm sure she will be missed by everyone.  May she rest in peace.  I know God will help you all get through this sad time.
David Lawson

Dear Buddy and Family: It is so painful to give back to the Lord, a precious, loved one but you know Charlotte is at peace! Our heartfelt love and compassion, and prayers are with all of you.  God Bless and Keep You!  Coach Buddy Fisher and wife, Dana. (Knoxville, TN)

All of us here in Memphis mourn Charlotte's passing, and have been strangely encouraged but saddened just the same in watching the beautiful video you all have put together with such care and love. What a wonderful life she and Buddy made together and what a heritage they have left for their many grandchildren and great grands. What great memories you all have of her...We saw her less but still have great memories also. She was a second Momma to our brother Blair and Mom is grateful for the years of knowing her and Buddy.

I have years of positive memories with your family that I cherish and value.
God bless and comfort your family during this time of loss but also give you a
peace that surpasses all understanding regarding her eternal resting  place.
Danny Riggs

Charlotte was always sweet to me, even after Big Buddy added another "Little buddy" to the family rolls.  We will all miss her very much!
David "Buddy" Wilson

Dear Buddy and family-sorry to hear of Charlotte's passing.  We cannot be at her funeral but are remembering you and your family in our thoughts and prayers  With much love,  Betty and Bill Sosna

Deepest Condolences.
                           With love,
                    Martha Williamson
                           "Mrs. Ben"

Miss Charlotte was one of my favorite "Moms" growing up.  She always treated me like one of her own and was an awesome example of woman who loved the Lord and her family....in that order. 
May God spread His comforting arms around the entire Cruze family and may you feel the prayers of all those who love you,

Sorry to hear of the passing of Mrs. Cruze.  I have fond memories of her and "Coach" Cruze in my younger years.  My best to "Coach", Debbie, Buddy, Guille, and Kay.

Charlotte was truly a Proverbs 31 woman. She was a wonderful  example and inspiration to everyone. We will miss her.

Sincere condolences to the Cruze family. Spending time with her family during my childhood are some of the best memories of my life. I will forever cherish those moments. May God give all who loved her His peace and comfort during this time.

So very sorry to hear about the passing of Mrs. Cruze.  I  loved her dearly and, thankfully, had several opportunities in the past three years to tell her how much she and "Big Buddy" meant to me.  There are no two people in my life who I loved  and appreciated any  more  than Charlotte and Buddy Cruze.  They  were like second parents to me, always welcomed me into their home, fed me, mentored me, and treated me like one of their own.  Big Buddy, Debbie, Buddy,  Guille, and Kay - my thoughts and prayers are  with all of you for God's grace and peace to surround you.

OBITUARY

Charlotte Ketchersid Cruze

September 10, 1932 – December 21, 2016

Berry Funeral Home

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