Obituary of Betty J. Cruz

Betty Jean Cruz was born October 24, 1934 to Thomas and Annie Kate Phifer, in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She was the fourth of nine children.  At an early age, she and her family moved to New York, where she attended The New York Institute for the Blind, in the Bronx, New York. She learned how to sew at the institute.  She also learned sign language and to read braille.  She met and married James Cruz in 1955. That union produced two children, Cynthia Louise and Richard Alan. Although Betty was born with some disabilities, she was better known for her abilities. Betty loved to sew, and was known for the professionalism of her work.  Her family asked her to sew for all important and unimportant occasions.  Her sewing work was in such demand that often times family members had to wait in line for her services.  When her daughter, Cynthia, got married, Betty not only made her daughter's wedding gown, she also made the gowns for the entire wedding party, including the gown for the mother of the groom and her own gown also. She also made wedding gowns for many members of her family. Betty loved to sew for the Pastor of her church.  She made a number of his pastoral robes, simply because she liked him so much.  It was her way of giving him support for his leadership. Betty was active in her church, The Church of the Abiding Presence. She was on numerous church committees, such as the Busy Bees, the South Carolina Fellowship and the Summer Day Camp, and was always willing to give a helping hand to any committee that needed her.  Betty was called upon at Church and Church functions to recite poetry.  Although she was deaf, she infused so much feeling and understanding of the human spirit into her words that she invariably brought tears to the eyes of those who heard her beautiful recitations. Betty was a wonderful mother.  For most of her life, she was a single parent, due to a long separation from her husband, and his death after their reconciliation.  She always managed to continue forward, despite what life threw at her.  She maintained a positive outlook on life because of her close relationship with Jesus Christ.  Her optimism was contagious, and was one of the reasons she was so adored by her family. Betty and her sisters, Margaret, Louise and Dorothy were the best friends of each other. They spent every weekend together and saw each other during the week.  Since they were so close, all of the children of the sisters and brothers were also a close knit unit, who enjoyed being together.  Betty was always the special aunt, who had a kind word and smile for each of her nieces and nephews, who also loved her potato salad.  Her beautiful spirit could change the temperature of the room. Betty is predeceased by her beloved husband, Jimmy, her sisters Margaret and Louise, her brothers Charles, Rochelle and Jerry, and her daughter-in-law, Barbara.  Left to mourn her are her loving children Cynthia and Richard, her grandchildren Jalisa and Jasmine, her sister Dorothy (whom she lovingly called "Sticks"), her brothers Thomas and Nathaniel, her sisters-in-law Etta, Angel, Joan, Thelma, Emma and Ernestine, her brother-in-law James and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Betty's gentle spirit has gone from us all, but her loving light remains.