Fundraiser for Anthony Cruz

Thank you for visiting this page. Our dear father, brother, uncle, partner and abuelo, Anthony Cruz, died of a heart attack this week. This page is a fundraiser to help defray the large medical bills incurred since Anthony was not covered by health insurance. In his 61 years, more than half of it spent in public service, Anthony helped thousands of individuals. Read more about his career below. Thank you for your help. -

Anthony Cruz, Jr.

Heather Hanks

The Cruz Family

Anthony Cruz 1961-2022

It is with great sadness that the Cruz family announces the death of our brother, Anthony Cruz, 61, of Jersey City.

Anthony's career in public service spanned three decades and is exemplary in its length and breadth. As president of the Jersey City Tenants Union, he exposed absentee landlords and slumlords, forcing action from city officials. He was a fighter for social and economic justice for communities of color in Jersey City and Hudson County, bodega workers to building maintenance employees.

He was a trusted governmental advisor and political strategist to four city mayors, numerous state lawmakers, three United States senators and many other political leaders from around the state. He served as Deputy Mayor in the historic administration of Glenn D. Cunningham in 2001, helping to breathe new life into the Downtown Special Improvement District, spearheading an effort to restore the historic clocks on the pedestrian plaza on Newark Avenue and promoting progressive programs on affordable housing and home ownership for Jersey City residents. As director of Housing and Economic Development for the city, he helped to revitalize inner-city residential communities and commercial districts with programs that improved homes and small shops, allowing residents to share in the city's progress.

A proud Puerto Rican, Anthony was part of a delegation led by Senator John Corzine, on whose staff he served, which traveled to the Puerto Rican island of Vieques to focus attention on the US military's environmentally-disastrous abuse of the island. in 2000, Anthony was arrested with other Jersey City activists, demonstrating against the use of Vieques as a bomb testing range. He served as director of Housing and Economic Development under two Jersey City mayors.

"My father's life was historic. The number of people whose lives he directly impacted in public and private is beyond measure," said Anthony Cruz, Jr. "We mourn his loss. His absence will be profound and difficult to bear, but we celebrate the fact, and take great pride in knowing, that he was a caring, honest, and humble man, a great father, uncle, brother, son and abuelo, who put his heart into serving other people without regard to personal accolades or economic gain. That is how we will remember him."

Anthony is survived by his son, Anthony, Jr.; grandson, Anthony III; longtime partner Heather Hanks and siblings Rafael, Jose, Elizabeth, Roberto, Madeline, Jorge, David, William, Agustin, Diana and Jason; sisters in law Candy, Louise and Peachy; and brothers in law Melvin, Blake and David, as well as his mother, Isabel.