Honor Cruz Maria's Legacy and Final Wishes

In Loving Memory of Cruz Maria Lemus

We have loved her during life; let us not abandon her in death, until by our prayers we have conducted her into the house of the Lord - St. Ambrose

Dear Family, Friends, Acquaintences and Sympathetic Benefactors,

In sorrow, yet also with hope and prayer, I share with you the passing of Cruz Maria, who fell asleep in the Lord on May 12, 2025, at the age of 102.

Yes, indeed, you read that correctly - one-hundred-and-two!

Beloved and deeply cherished by all whose lives she touched, Cruz Maria leaves a lasting legacy of humility, self-sacrifice, determination, resourcefulness and integrity. Virtues only surpassed by her deep and abiding love for, and devotion to, both God and family, reflecting His love for her, through her love for others.

Born on June 28, 1922, to humble farmers Alberto Reymundo and Venicia Lemus, Cruz Maria was raised in the Istagua District of Department Cuscatlan, El Salvador, immediately into a life of service and dedication to family. Cruz Maria obtained only a limited formal education, as her family required her help raising their children's children, but learned many practical life skills in her role as a housekeeper/nanny, which she used to gain employment with community families in the same capacity.

She passionately pursued interests in gardening (particularly tropical fruit trees), cooking (particularly Salvadoran Marquesote, a light, sweet sponge cake, and Refresco de Chan, a beverage made with fresh strawberries and chia seeds). and developed into a highly-skilled seamstress, resourcefully making her own clothes!

Cruz Maria would also act as her Mother's primary caregiver, when her Mother succumbed to blindness in her later years. She left a memorable and lasting impact on many younger members of her extended family, sharing with them her love of Jesus and his teaching: to treat others in the same manner that they'd like to be treated ("Love one another, as I have loved you").

These were low-paying jobs, in low-income communities. Cruz Maria lived frugally, sharing much of what little she earned, contributing to family expenses. However, she managed to save enough that, in the late-1980's, in her late 50's, with El Salvador's political climate in turmoil and threatening violence, she realized her highest ambition - to visit the United States of America, on a Tourist Visa! She traveled to Washington, DC and while there, via networking through family and friends, she was offered employment a housekeeper/nanny for the Kuwaiti Embassy! Thanking God for this blessing, she seized the opportunity, and applied herself with vigor.

Of course, her tireless work ethic paid off, as her employers were so impressed with her character and diligence, they assisted her in obtaining a Work Visa/Green Card, and eventually arranged her U.S. Citizen sponsership, an achievement beyond her wildest dream! Of this, she was fiercely proud. Again, acknowledging God's blessing, she fully embraced this Land of Opportunity, adopting it as her new home. Cruz Maria felt obliged to assimilate the best of American culture, completing English Language coursework, establishing residency and becoming self-reliant. Exercising resourcefulness, despite earning a minimal income, she eventually secured affordable housing. She never ceased living frugally, not so much to plan for her future, but rather assisting to support the endeavors of family members both locally, and in El Salvador, in particular my Mother-In-Law, Melissa's mother, Raquel. Many family members benefitted from Cruz Maria's selfless charitable giving, some likely unaware what she was denying herself, in order to offer it.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my savior. For he has regareded the low estate of his handmaiden. Henceforth, generations shall call me blessed" (Mary, Mother of Jesus, Luke 1:48).

Living in the Samuel Kelsey Apartments in Columbia Heights/Mount Pleasant area of Washington D.C., during this time, was challenging, to say the least, as it wasn't the safest of communities, but it did afford Cruz Maria the opportunity to walk to church - important not only because of the vital role her faith played in her daily life, but also due to the fact that she couldn't afford a car. She walked to the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, frequently, and fearlessly, for decades, participating in services and fulfilling her heart's desire to worship God with praise, gratitude and undying love. Of course, Cruz Maria was not there just to receive; additionally, she involved herself with the church, donating her time, volunteering in various layman's activities and social functions. She viewed the church community as a second family ("brothers and sisters, in Christ"), and the church itself as a home away from home. Eventually, when she could no longer walk to church, the church made arrangements to transport her there, and when age and health prevented her from attending, the church would come to her.

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, for you" Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Cruz Maria would work as a domestic employee for almost two decades, before retiring at the age of 75. Although her living arrangements prevented her from having a garden, she continued to both sew and cook for as long as she was able. The clothing she made in the U.S., for herself and others, exhibited a unique cultural blend of past and present heritage that always garnered compliments. While she cooked all manner of authentic, traditional Salvadoran foods, her favorite, to eat, was Tamales Ticucos (traveler's tamales, so named for their triangular shape) of a particular sort unique to her region, utilizing the ash from burning plantain leaves, mingled with the corn masa-based dough, creating a distinctive flavor.

In retirement, Cruz Maria continued her active involvement with family and church for well over a decade, positively impacting many lives in both, imparting wisdom accrued over years of experience. Eventually age began to take it's toll on both her physical and mental health. As her condition declined, her faith in, and love for God, remained strong, although she was disappointed that she could no longer be of service to others. Melissa, always intimately close to Cruz Maria and acting as her Primary Caregiver, arranged for her to receive hours of daily service from Geriatric Nursing Assistants, the number of hours per day increasing over the years, to almost full 24-hour coverage at the time of her passing, due to her advancing Alzheimer's-related dementia, and thankfully covered via Medicare/Medicaid, her only available insurance. She spent the final month of her life in palliative care/hospice, in Wheaton, MD, not far from our home. Melissa oversaw her care, prayed with and comforted her, at her bedside, with every available hour she had, during this time. Both Cruz Maria and Melissa had a shared prayer answered, when Melissa cradled her in her arms as she breathed her last and ushered her into the arms of our Lord.

As a domestic employee, Cruz Maria's income was limited, her earning potential capped, and her benefits non-existent. Although she lived wisely and frugally during her healthy years, with rising costs, there was precious little remaining after typical monthly expenses, to place in savings. By the time we had access to this information, and began managing her finances, there was little we could do to remedy the situation. Her sole retirement income was modest Social Security - no pension, no retirement accounts, and no life insurance (and no way to reasonably obtain it, given her age/health). Through judicious management of her available resources over several months, we were able to secure her a burial plot, thankfully in the same cemetary (Gates of Heaven in Aspen Hill, MD) where many of her relatives are buried.

Unfortunately, one-hundred-and-two years is a near-insurmountable amount of time to make ends meet with limited available resources. As we've discussed, Cruz Maria was a devout Catholic, and immersed in her faith, her church and her deep and abiding love for God. Living as long as she did, she witnessed the passing of many friends and family, over time, and her own funeral arrangements greatly occupied her thoughts, which she shared with us.

Lord, give rest to the soul of thy departed servant , in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away...

Cruz Maria was an exceptional human being, by any standard, who modeled her life after what Jesus called the two greatest commandments: Loving God with her entire heart, soul and mind, and showing care, compassion, kindness and respect to everyone. She did this effortlessly, without thought, and without regard to her own material comfort or well-being, expecting nothing in this material world, in return. Cruz Maria positively enhanced the lives of family, friends, acquaintances and strangers alike, and deserves, at the least, to be respectfully memorialized. While we would like to bestow upon her the funeral and burial that would honor the wishes she envisioned, unfortunately, the costs associated with doing so are more than we can bear alone.

In all humility, we appeal to any and all of you to work together with us, assisting us in meeting the financial obligation associated with Cruz Maria's final arrangements. Please understand that we have exercised the utmost scrutiny in determining an accurate budget and goal, vetting multiple service providers to generate an accurate estimate, which is how Cruz Maria would have it - maximum value with no waste or excess. Funds donated will be applied to costs associated with Funeral Home Expenses, including embalming, casket, etc. (Donaldson, based out of Odenton, MD), Funeral Services (St. Patrick's Church, Rockville, MD) and Burial/Cemetary Expenses (Gates of Heaven, Rockville, MD).

If any of you have been personally touched by Cruz Maria, during her lifetime, either directly or indirectly, or through this narrative, please consider offering your financial support to our request. With sincere gratitude, we offer our thanks to you for your generosity in assisting us in any way - financially, through your prayers, thoughts and messages. While the primary purpose of this narrative is to honor her life and encourage your support, we hope it inspires the lifestyle Cruz Maria engaged in, that might allow her legacy to live on through the actions of others.