Mariano Cruz

On Thursday, June 25th, 2020, Mariano Cruz Sr, loving husband and father, passed away peacefully at the age of 88. Mariano was born on March 1, 1932, in a small farming village in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He migrated to the United States at an early age where he met and, on January 1, 1957, married Bernice Caroline Theresa Jagiello, born May 17, 1934; died January 30, 2014. Mariano spent 30+ years as a machine operator with Columbia Manufacturing Company in Westfield, MA. He also maintained a side job and active social life as a part-time barber in Springfield, MA.  He owned the Caguas Barbershop for a time and worked there past his retirement. Mariano had a special passion for gardening in which he maintained great pride, even through recent years. He was highly skilled as a general handy-man and would often be found in his basement ‘shop’, on a ladder, under the car, or in the garage. He was a kind and generous soul who loved his family, and we will miss his spirit dearly. Mariano was predeceased by his father, Everisto; his mother, Basilia; and brothers, Perfecto and Juan, (all of Puerto Rico) and wife, Bernice (of Westfield). He is survived by his sisters, Juanita and Laura; daughter, Juana and her daughters, Rebecca and Glendalis; daughter, Maryann, her husband Russell, and their daughter, Michaela; and son Mariano Jr. (Mario) and his daughters Amanda and Marelena, and her mother, Ellen Lohman. Mariano’s funeral will be held on Wednesday July 1, at 10AM in Holy Trinity Church, 335 Elm St. Westfield followed by burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Southampton Rd. Westfield. A Visiting hour will precede the Mass from 8:30-9:30 AM in the Firtion Adams FS, 76 Broad St. Westfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hispanic Federation’s Unidos Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. https://hispanicfederation.org/unidos/ www.firtionadams.com

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