Manuela Cruz, 94, born July 17, 1923, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2018 surrounded by her loving family at Haven Hospice located within JFK Medical Center in Edison. Born in Teresa Rizal, Philippines, Manuela along with her late husband Sixto Cruz immigrated to the United States in 1978 and settled in Piscataway.

She enjoyed her time as a homemaker caring for her loving family and helping to raise all five of her grandchildren with Sixto. Manuela was a communicant of Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church in Piscataway.

She was predeceased by her husband Sixto in June of 2000, daughter Evelyn Cruz in September of 2005 and six sisters. Manuela leaves behind her loving and devoted family: daughters Milalinda Cruz Gendrano and her husband Isaias Noel, II and Rosenelly Cruz Alcantara and her husband Rufino; grandchildren; Isaias Noel Gendrano, III and his wife Rebecca Stark-Gendrano, Ray John Alcantara and his wife Jeannette Alcantara, Robert Sean Alcantara and his fiancé Kerri Siedenburg, Michelle Nina Gendrano and Rhianne Kirsten Alcantara and great-grandchildren; Jackson Sixto Gendrano, Isaiah James Gendrano, Ryan Joseph Alcantara and Jaden Louis Alcantara.

Visitation will be held at the South Plainfield Funeral Home, 2456 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ 07080 on March 11, 2018 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm and on Monday, March 12, 2018 beginning 9:15 am.

Funeral services will begin in the funeral home on Monday, March 12, 2018 at 9:45 am followed by a 10:30 am Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church in Piscataway. Manuela will be laid to rest beside her husband at Resurrection Burial Park in Piscataway.

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