He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Aurea Dela Cruz; his son, Christopher Dela Cruz; his son, Adonis Dela Cruz and his wife Lei Anne; his grandson James, his son James, his wife, Christine, his granddaughter, Akira; his son, Mark Joy Dela Cruz, his wife Jane, his granddaughter, Makayla, his grandsons, Mark Jr, Jared, and his granddaughter, Ava; and his daughter, Jacqueline Dela Cruz and her fur baby Bella. He also leaves his father, Felix Dela Cruz; his sister, Loida Benigno; his brother, Arthur Dela Cruz; his sister, Amelia Acoba; his sister, Jean Ramos; his brother, Benny Dela Cruz; his brother, Moises Dela Cruz; and his brother, Philip Dela Cruz.
Born and raised in Parut, Vintar, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines to his father Felix and Romula Dela Cruz, whom he now joins in heaven. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, and finally resided in Las Vegas, Nevada with his family.In his early years in the Philippines, he was a farmer. When he moved to Hawaii, he became a construction worker; in Las Vegas, he worked as a porter at the Golden Nugget.
His greatest work is in the sweetest fruits he bore, his five wonderful children and six grandchildren, and in his loyalty to his beautiful wife, for it is at home where the greatest accomplishments are brewed. He has a son who owns a business, helping to empower the lives of others. He has three sons who are masters of the kitchen like himself. He has a daughter who is also helping to empower families. He has six beautiful grandchildren who will some day raise make a difference. And he found the most beautiful wife, his partner in crime, who has been his rock and lighthouse.
Mr. Dela Cruz had a passion for cooking, and he whipped up the most delicious Filipino foods. His children and grandchildren loved his traditional Filipino dishes, like igado. When he worked the kitchen, he made the best adobo, pinapaitan, silet, and lauya. When he took control of the kitchen, there was always something delicious on the table for everyone to share.
And towards the end, Mr. Dela Cruz found God once more, believing that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He proclaimed his belief, accepting Jesus as his Lord and personal Savior. The lesson his life taught his loved ones is that asking for forgiveness is the ultimate act, saying you are sorry, and expressing your love to your family.
A celebration of life service will be held at the Palm Northwest, 6701 N. Jones Blvd (9:00am- 2pm), and he will be laid to rest at Palm Eastern, 7600 S. Eastern Avenue (3pm-4pm).