Maria Cruz

The funny little Cuban lady, with a personality, wit and tongue as sharp and unique as her accent, and with a heart of gold and a spirit of generosity larger than life itself this special woman we know as Mom, Abuelita, Adi, Tuta, Tete, Maria, and friend has won her long and valiant struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. She died on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, at Promise Hospital, Baton Rouge, with the love of her family and friends around her. She is now in the loving arms of her Heavenly Father and the Virgin Mary, to whom her life was ever devoted. She is also, at last, in the loving embrace of her mother, Maria Tecla Lavastida Portela, who died when Maria was only 6 years old. Also surrounding her are her father, Alfredo Louis Portela, and her brother, Alfredo Julian Portela, whom she adored. With her also are her grandmother and her aunts, who raised her, Fermina Dias, and Georgina and Zenaida Lavastida, and her special niece, Maria Teresa Tere Portela. She is survived by four children, Oscar, Marite, Marilu and Liz her childreninlaw, whom she loved as her own, Mary Harris Cruz, Jeff Major and Barry Crawford. She also leaves behind nine grandchildren, of whom she was so very proud and who brought her the greatest joys in life, Lauryn, Adam, and Katie Cruz Miles Zietz Elisa, Courtney, and Juliana Major and Estelle and Seth Crawford. Also surviving her are a very close sister and brother, and their spouses, Elisa Elichu and Eddie Brodbeck and Pedro and Gloria Portela her nieces and nephews, Ana, Susu and Jenny Brodbeck Margara, Maria Elena, Christy and Mechu and Felli Portela, and Luis Crespo a dear sisterinlaw and her husband, Iraida and Luis Crespo and many Romanach and Lavastida cousins. Born on Jan. 24, 1937, in Havana, Cuba, she enjoyed a wonderful life and childhood, until the young age of 23, when she married and courageously fled her beloved country, culture, the study of law and her family, with only the clothes on her back and the untenable promise that she would be returning home soon. Instead, she began the rest of her life in Baton Rouge on Vicaro Street with a tightknit community of friends and relatives who forged bonds that remain true to this day. With four young children, she embarked on the greatest role of her life Mother as well as learning English, adopting some of the American culture and proudly earning her U.S. citizenship in the 1980s. She taught Spanish to many students over the years at St. Aloysius School, and for many years and until the time of her death, she was proudly employed as an assessor at the Tribunal Office of the Catholic Diocese, a job she did well and greatly enjoyed. She was an active and dedicated member of St. Aloysius Church and community, having served many years in the RCIA program. She formed longlasting bonds with the Daughters of Jesus and many others whose lives she touched along the way. Last, but not least, Maria leaves to mourn her loss an army of genuine and dedicated friends a reflection that she, a woman of meager means, lived a very rich life indeed the embodiment of one of Gods greatest teachings to us: to treat and love one another as you would have yourself be treated and loved, and that in this life, you reap what you sow. You her friends are far too varied and numerous to mention by name, but one of the beauties of Marias friendships is that each and every one of you know exactly who you are, and that you were very special to her. We are sure you have a birthday card as well as some other memento she gave you and many fond memories to remember her by. On her behalf and our own, the family would like to thank the following for all the patience and kindnesses shown to Maria throughout the many illnesses that befell her as her arthritis progressed over the past years: Dr. Curt Chastain, Dr. Stephen Lindsey and staff, Dr. Andrew Smith and staff, Dr. Bradley Meek, Dr. Martha Patterson, Dr. Michael Montalbano and staff, and to everyone else who in ways both large and small reached out and helped her in her journey and struggles. Remember Maria with laughter, thoughtfulness and generosity pay the beauty of her life forward. Visitation at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 2025 Stuart Ave., from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, and from 1O a.m. Friday until Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Interment at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Arthritis Foundation , P.O. Box 96280, Washington, DC 20090.

Visitation

St. Aloysius Catholic Church
2025 Stuart Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA  70808
Thursday, February 25, 2010
6pm8:30pm 022610 10am

Service

St. Aloysius Catholic Church
2025 Stuart Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA  70808
Friday, February 26, 2010
11am

Cemetery

Resthaven Gardens of Memory
11817 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA  70816

Memorial Contributions

http://www.epartnersingiving.com/mariaportelacruz
PO Box 96280
Washington, DC  20090