Samuel Lopez Cruz

Today, our family’s world has grown heavier as we say goodbye to Samuel Lopez Cruz, a man whose laughter filled rooms, whose strength built generations, and whose love held this family together in ways words can barely describe.

Samuel was more than a hard worker; he was the soul of every day. As a crew leader in the onion fields, he spent his life in the sun, in the dirt, and in the work that shaped him. But what made Samuel special wasn’t just how hard he worked; it was the way he shared that life. His kids grew up beside him in those fields, learning the meaning of pride, responsibility, and heart. Later, he took his grandkids out there too…showing them who he was, what he believed in, and what real strength looks like.

He lived with passion. Samuel loved to sing, joke, party, and bring joy everywhere he went. Even after the hardest days, he still had a spark, a laugh, a song, a story. He could turn exhaustion into laughter and ordinary moments into memories. He loved big, he laughed big, and he lived big.

And everywhere he went, his guitar went too. Samuel didn’t travel without it, every trip, every gathering, every moment that brought people together. If he was there, that guitar was leaning right beside him, ready to fill the air with music. He sang from the heart… songs of joy, pain, life, family. His voice wasn’t just sound; it was comfort, laughter, and love.

One of his biggest gifts was passing that music down. Samuel taught his grandson Daniel Cruz how to play that very guitar, how to strum like him, how to carry rhythm, and how to put feeling behind every note. That bond between them wasn’t just skill… it was love, legacy, and a piece of Samuel that will live on forever through Daniel’s hands.

Samuel leaves behind the love of his life, his wife Vera Cruz, who stood by him through every high and low, every dawn and every dusk.

He is survived by his children, who carry pieces of his heart:Samuel Cruz Jr., Marlina Cruz, and Maria Guadalupe Cruz,along with his son-in-law Jose Lora, who became part of the family Samuel cherished.

His legacy lives through his grandchildren, each one a piece of his smile and his spirit:Daniel Cruz, Anthony Gonzalez, Luis Gonzalez, Vonny Cruz, Samantha Elena, Sylvia Argueta, Clarissa Argueta, Romeo Jones, and Isaac Jones; through his granddaughters-in-law, whom he welcomed with the same love as his own blood: Dalia Banks and Elidia Gonzalez; and through his great-grandchildren, the next generation touched by his life: Daniel Jayden Cruz, Faith Cruz, Jalen Gonzalez, Kiyel Anthony Gonzalez, and Amy Gonzalez.

Sammy wasn’t perfect. He worked too much, laughed too loud, cared too deeply, and gave too much of himself… and somehow, that’s exactly why losing him hurts so much. Because people like him don’t come around often. People like him leave marks that don’t fade.

Our hearts ache, but they are full…full of the memories he made, the love he gave, and the strength he left behind in every one of us.

Rest in peace, Samuel Lopez Cruz.Thank you for your songs.Thank you for your laughter.Thank you for your lessons.Thank you for the memories.Thank you for loving us the way only you did.

The family and this world will never feel the same without you. Sing as you ascend to Heaven, Apá.