ROBERT CRUISE

1946 - 2015

Robert T. 'Bob' Cruise Devoted husband, father, grandpa and friend, loyal Union County Savings Bank manager Robert T. "Bob" Cruise, of Roselle, N.J., passed away Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, in the Center for Hope Peggy's Place in Scotch Plains, N.J., surrounded by his loving family. He was 69 years old. Visitation will be on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral on Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, at 9 a.m. from the Krowicki McCracken Funeral Home, 2124 East St. George Ave., Linden, N.J., (908) 352-9190. The Funeral Mass is at St. John the Apostle R.C. Church, Clark, N.J., at 10 a.m. Interment is at Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, N.J. Send online condolences to krowickifuneralhome.com. Bob was born in Newark, N.J., on June 14, 1946, and resided in Elizabeth, N.J., until he married his beloved wife, Carol, in 1974, and they moved to Roselle. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1965, and attended courses at the American Banking Institute. After graduation, Bob began working as a teller at Union County Savings Bank in Elizabeth, N.J. After several years, he left and worked at other financial institutions. In 1975, he returned to Union County Savings Bank and was honored to be an assistant vice president, manager of the Union, N.J., branch, and manager of the Broad Street, Elizabeth, N.J., branch, from which he retired in 2011, 36 years after his return to the bank. The Union branch of the bank was opened in 1975 when his beloved son, Robert J. (Rob), was born. One of Bob's greatest joys was knowing that Rob follows his love for the bank, its staff and customers, and that Rob is now assistant manager of the bank's Union branch. Bob was a 3rd Degree member and financial secretary of the Knights of Columbus Bishop Wigger Council 1856, Irvington, N.J., and was currently an honorary member of the Knights of Columbus St. Joseph the Carpenter Council 3946, Roselle. He was also a member and past grand commander of El Zagel Caravan 7, International Order of the Alhambra. Bob was a die-hard N.Y. Giants and New York Mets fan (win or lose). He loved the New Jersey Shore, particularly Manasquan (and its inlet), Cape May, Lavallette and Ortley Beach. He so enjoyed playing golf and bowling on his iPad, and buying lottery tickets in the hope we would hit the "big one." Bob was a renal dialysis patient for the last 15 years and battled other health problems with a strong will, a sense of optimism, dignity, and strength that amazed and inspired his doctors, fellow patients, family, and friends. Bob's love for his family was the guiding force of his life. Proud of his Irish heritage, he was a very centered person who found joy, happiness, and pride in the simplest of things -- watching his grandchildren grow, attending their sporting events, talking sports with his son and friends, and sharing the big and small moments of his life with his wife. Bob touched people far beyond the realm of his family with his sense of humor, fairness, honesty and friendship. Bob was predeceased by his beloved parents, William Francis and Helen O'Brien Cruise; brother, William F.; sister, Maureen; and nephew, Gregory T. Jones. Bob will be deeply missed and loved forever by his devoted wife of 41 years, Carol Ann (Kindler); beloved son and daughter-in-law, Robert J. and Carri L. (Sitarik); and adored grandchildren, Patrick James, Sean Michael, Riley Grace and Mckenna Quinn. He was the loving brother of Carol Ann Jones (late husband, H. Thomas); caring brother-in-law of Michael E. Kindler (Jean); and devoted uncle of Jennifer Jones Bell (Rich), Michael S. Kindler, Deanna Kindler Arout (Steve), Eric G. Kindler (Erika), Kimberley K. Kindler; and his great-nephews and great-nieces. He will also be missed by his friends and neighbors. For those wishing to offer a tribute in Bob's honor, the family will be pleased to accept flowers, or have you make donations to your favorite charity, and they would be thrilled if you would just perform an act of kindness for someone. Bob would love that.