Claudia Cruz

Claudia was born in Pola, Italy on June 29, 1930, to Bruno and Leonella Benedetti. After WWII in Italy, Claudia's hometown of Pola, and the area of Istria in which it was located, was ceded to Yugoslavia as part of the 1947 Treaty of Peace with Italy. This had a profound effect on her life as she and her family became refugees and had to start a new life in Trieste.

Claudia met her future husband, Joseph Robert Cruz (Bob, deceased 1981), while he was stationed in Italy after WWII, in Trieste. Bob reenlisted for an additional three years in the armed services to stay with Claudia in Italy. They were married in Trieste on February 3, 1952. On her 22nd birthday she and Bob boarded a military ship to the United States to begin their life together. One year later they welcomed their first of three daughters, Michel, while stationed in Washington State. A year later they made the move to Culver City in Southern California where Bob was raised. In the next few years, they welcomed two more daughters, Carla, and Paula. While raising her family, Claudia became an exceptional homemaker, sewing beautiful clothes for the family, cooking all meals and treats from scratch, and encouraging personal enrichment through education, music, and exposure to other cultures.

In 1980, Bob was transferred to Arizona, where they found a home in Mesa. Within months of their arrival, Bob died suddenly. Claudia decided to stay in Arizona, which she came to love, and crafted a new life. She became actively involved in the dance community, participating in ballroom, country and square dancing. She had a passion for travel and took several trips both alone and with her daughters to many beautiful locations. Claudia was an eternal student of life, with an avid interest for history, biographies, culture, and language (she spoke Italian, Spanish, and English fluently, and was always working on her French and German). When her granddaughters, Andrea and Daniela were born, she took on the new title of Nonna (grandmother in Italian) and embraced the new role with a deep love and excitement.

Claudia was always offering support, love and encouragement. She was deeply devoted to her family and has left a beautiful and lasting legacy. She was fiercely independent and strong all through her life and up until her last breaths. In her last days she spoke of moving on to her new life, which gave her family incredible comfort, and which spoke to her fervor for life. We are eternally grateful for the family she has built, the permanent influence on our lives and the love that remains with us even in her absence. We look forward to the day we meet again, all sharing a new life together.