For my brother Thomas,I think of you every day.I see you smiling.My perfect more recent memory of us is Thanksgiving 2008. All of your favorites and mine too. Conversation was light and at times almost giddy.  Remembering times past.  People in and out of our lives who have made a Real difference a Real impact on who we are today.You will always remain a strong influence with a gentle heart. I will always love you...and in the blink of an eye I will see you again! xxxooo Kat.

When my brother laughed, he tilted his head back and ROARED. He said funny things and was a singular spirit. When he was five, on the way back home from church on a Sunday afternoon, my father took us to Gunning Casteel for hot cocoa. We sat on those stools and waited, with anticipation for that hot cocoa. We watched also, as a different waitress built an incredible, towered, multi-sauced banana split. We got our cocoa, just as the other waitress plunked down the huge banana split in front of tiny Thomas. He smiled broadly and dug in. My father leading, we all broke down laughing. This is one of the many good things I will remember. 

Walter Delacruz

April 27,2010

Today was hard, I remember the days that Thomas would come to my house so that I could cut his hair.  Sandy (my Chow Chow) loved Thomas.  She would sit at his feet and look up at him with love in her eyes as she smiled at him.  He always called her my funny little red dog. She was not little at all!  She would steal chunks of his hair as we were talking, then Thomas would chase her around the house trying to get it back.

Today is my brother's birthday. He would have been 50. I miss him terribly. I also want to share a story - one that will always make me smile. It was the summer of 1980 and Tommy and I were attending summer classes at UTEP together. He was pursuing his degree in education and I was taking basic courses while still in high school. We took a classical guitar class together. We also performed a duet together for one of the class projects. We earned an "A." That summer we'd both travel to UTEP on his motorcycle. Tommy driving and me (the passenger) with his guitar strapped to my back. I used a class guitar. We both wore flip flops, shorts, tank tops and helmets as he drove us over Scenic Drive to make it to our morning classes. It was a blast! He was fun, smart and funny. Tommy introduced me to Jackson Browne, Tom Petty and Led Zeppelin. Everything he wrote was magic - it brought tears to my eyes.

He was a beautiful, shining light and now he's a star in heaven. Tommy, keep a place for us beside you and mom, all my love always, your sister, Vanessa.


De La Cruz family,

I am so very, very sorry.  I miss Tom tremendously, too.  He was not only one of my best and closest friends,  he was truly "a brother from another mother". Though Tom and I had not gotten together over the past few years, I have thought of him very, very often (and am at a loss to explain or understand----with very much regret---not making a greater effort to get together with him). I'd like to share a "Tom Memory" that makes me smile.  We were going to see The Grassroots perform at a small club and I rushed to his house (on Aurora) to pick him up.  He was taking forever to come out and finally ran out to the car with his shoes in his hand.  He had clearly just showered and I remember too that he must have used foot-powder as he left foot-powder footprints on the sidewalk as he ran out to the car! His tongue was also hanging out or "wagging" (the way only an exasperated Tom could do*) as he put his shoes on in the car while he defended his tardiness by claiming that one of his sisters (Karen? Vanessa? or maybe Marissa)had tied up the shower.  Well, we missed the concert---but it was worth it just to remember Tom kicking up that foot-powder! *(Tom would also wag/stick out his tongue whenever we played tennis and he would hit the ball out of the court ---while recalling, "I hate this game".) I love you Tom!
Your friend (and brother from another mother), Carlos

Our deepest sympathies to Uncle Rufino and family, may god comfort you during your time of grief.

Tom we had the pleasure of knowing you and having you in our family and thank you for that. You will be missed. Luis and Gloria Juarez and Family

OBITUARY

Thomas Michael De La Cruz

April 26, 1960 – April 10, 2010

Funeraria del Angel Restlawn

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