Juliana Estorco Cruz

Survived by: Patricia Garcia, Daughter

Richard Cruz, Step-Son

JR Garcia, Son in Law

Tess Cruz, Daughter in Law

Jacquelynne Garcia, Kathy Hoppe & Brian Cruz, Grandchildren

Jeff Hoppe & Suzanne Cruz, Grandchildren in Law

Nicole Hoppe & Ryan Hoppe,

Madison Cruz, Tristan Cruz & Karissa Cruz, Great Grandchildren

Juliana Cruz was my mother. My name is Patricia Cruz Garcia. She was married to Agaton Fernando Cruz and helped raise his son Richard Cruz from the age of about 12.

Juliana was born in Agoo La Union on July 27, 1927 and lived with her mother, Silveria Estorco. She had no brothers or sisters. Her father, Segundo Estorco came to America when she was about 2 years old to work as a migrant worker in Northern and Central California. He sent money home to his family so I can only imagine my mom and

Grandma lived a pretty good life. Mom spent all her childhood in the province and went to University of Santo Tomas in Manila for college. She studied nursing and graduated in 1951. She was very proud that her class was the first Bachelors of Science in Nursing that graduated in UST. She told me that after graduation and passing the boards, her father

made arrangements for her to come to America. My history at this point is somewhat blurred here, because somehow she ended up in working in New Jersey at East Orange General Hospital. While working at a hospital there for 1 or 2 years she met my father. He was supposed to go on a date with her room mate and my mom went along as a chaperon. He was more interested in mom than his date. He pursued her but supposedly,mom was playing hard to get, because she moved to Chicago, and my dad followed her. Mom and dad were married in Chicago on September 28, 1958. Mom worked at Mercy Hospital for 5 years, then Mount Sinai Hospital for another 2. She finally transferred to the Veterans Administration Hospital in 1962. They had a child, me, on February 13, 1964, eight years after they were married. (On a side note, I had my daughter, Jacque eight years after Jr. and I were married.)

We lived on Keating Avenue in Cicero. As a child, I remember my mom either getting ready for work, cooking or working in the garden. And singing her song – random la, la, la, la, las. I never felt like an only child because it seemed that there were people always at our house. Relatives coming to the U.S. starting their professional lives, finishing school, taking exams, getting married, having babies always seem to begin at my house. And we had parties practically every weekend. I also remember her trying to teach me piano. There was a lot of giggling and banging. At some point I started taking formal

lessons with the other kids in the neighborhood. I don’t know if I liked playing, but I do know she liked hearing me play. She would make me practice and it didn’t matter if I sounded terrible she always told me it sounded pretty.

Around 1971, we moved out of Cicero to Bolingbrook. It was at this point I realized mom loved to shop more than she worked. She always brought home shopping bags full of new stuff. Her life was basically working, shopping and driving me to piano lessons, and still had time to host the weekend parties.

In August 1974, we were in California for our yearly vacation. My Uncle Delfin convinced mom to go visit the VA Hospital in Palo Alto and try to get an interview. She went and they hire her. We went back home and all of a sudden, I was going to school in Salinas, my dad was still in Bolingbrook and my mom was living in Cupertino, working in Palo Alto. I have to say that was the worst time of my life! Seeing my mom only on weekends was horrible. But I survived. In January, 1975, we were all together again living in Sunnyvale. My mom worked all different shifts, days, evenings and nights. I never knew whether she was coming or going. And her love of shopping grew deeper since Stanford Shopping Center was on the way to & from work. My parents decided that I become serious in mastering the piano, so they drove me all over northern California for lessons. My mom used to come home from work then they both drove me to San Francisco, Sacramento or San Jose. This was the biggest struggle my mom had with me. Practice, practice, practice. Maybe her stress reliever from me was shopping. When it was time for me to take my driver’s license test I needed to use her car. My dad’s car was a stick shift and I didn’t want to take the test on that car. We waited and waited, and finally my dad said you either take the test on this car, or you don’t take the test at all. So I took the test. My mom completely forgot about my test. She went shopping instead.

In 1979 we moved to Milpitas. Our house again became the home of relatives starting out. My mom and dad were so supportive and encouraging to everyone that I believe that everyone they helped out became successful in whatever profession they chose.

My mom was always very loving and giving. She was the first to offer a room if someone needed a place to stay. She made sure you were taken cared for. She always encouraged everyone to go to school and get a degree. It didn’t matter what you studied, as long as they studied. As I got more involved with my music, my mom became the typical stage mom. She entered me in competitions and put me in recitals and concerts. We still had our struggle with me practicing, but I think I was able to play to her satisfaction. Soon I played for church, joined bands, and accompanied choirs.

In 1984, I was asked to be part of a new Filipino choir for St. John’s church in Milpitas. Of course my dad said yes before I could, and my mom volunteered our house for all the practices. This choir was made up of two groups, the tagalog speaking group and the non tagalog speaking group. Of course, I hung out with the latter and didn’t even pay attention to any one in the other group. One of the singers, in the tagalog group was JR Garcia. For some reason, my parents grew a liking to this guy. I only knew that he sang. My mom saw that he was very respectful and was very comfortable with him. He basically charmed my mom before he had any interest in me. And again, I only knew that he sang. After a few months JR and I got to know each other and the rest is my history, which will be told some other time.

Around 1994, my mom retired from the VA to care for my dad who was suffering from cancer. She worked as a registered nurse for 42 years, with over 30 of them being in the Veterans Administration Hospital. I don’t know very many people who worked that long that hard in a profession so demanding. I believe she enjoyed what she did, enjoyed the people she worked with, and really enjoyed its benefits – shopping.

In 1997, I gave birth to my daughter Jacquelynne. She became the central focus for my mom. For the first few months, all I did was feed her. My mom bathed her, clothed her, put her to sleep, play with her. Of course JR did these things too, but my mom did most of it. She and my dad turned Jacque into a princess. She took Jacque everywhere, shopping, dr. appointments, shopping, everywhere. When Jacque was about 4 she drove her to pre-school and dance lessons. She stayed with her in the playground until Jacque was dead tired. Mom loved watching Jacque dance. Soon Jacque started competing, and mom was her biggest fan. She was so proud of Jacque and could watch her all day long. As Jacque’s talents started to come out, the more proud she became.

Mom worked so hard that her body took its toll. And she was the strongest person I’ve ever known. In her later years she had 2 new hips, a new knee, 3 holes on the top of her head due to a meningioma, a pacemaker, suffered 2 strokes, and ulcers in her esophagus. When she fractured her C1-C2 spine she was expecting that would have surgery, but I wouldn’t allow it. She was always aggressive in her medical treatment which gave her more years to be with us. I only wish that I am able to withstand a fraction of what she went through.

I thank the Lord that He blessed me with such a special mother. Her work ethic, easy going personality, her wanting to help anyone in need, and love of shopping are traits that I hope to master as she did. I know she’s still taking care of us from above. I know she will be missed by many. I also know that she will be taking care of all of us from Heaven.

We thank the Lord for all the blessings for Julie Cruz, for giving her a full life and peaceful death. May she

rejoice in eternal life! We thank all our friends and relatives for sharing precious memories with us.

From all of us,

Cruz & Garcia Family

Footprints in the Sand

One night I had a dream, I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord and across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints, one belonged to me and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life. This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way, but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why in times when I needed you most, you should leave me." The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never, never leave you during your times of trial and suffering. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."