On Monday, April 13,2020, Dr. Nestor Cruz, loving husband and father of four children passed away at the age of 87.
Nestor was born November 2,1932 in Bogota, Colombia to Jose Miguel Cruz and Sara Maria Perez. He grew up in Bogota and received a doctorate of medicine from the National University of Colombia. He continued his education by specializing in cardiovascular surgery at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia and then worked at the Military Hospital of Colombia performing some of the first open heart surgeries in the country. In 1977, he returned to the United States to specialize in anesthesiology at Parkland Memorial Hospital. He spent the next 17 years practicing at Pasadena General Hospital and finished his career performing pain management at Eastside Surgery.
Nestor loved to play golf, read and listen to classical music. He was a scholar at heart, always reading and learning new things. He was fascinated by genetics and quantum physics. He was a founding member of the Bay Oaks country club where he played golf weekly. He and Gloria made their home in Clear Lake in 1980 where they raised their four children and still reside. He was lovingly referred to by his family as Papi and loved spending time with his nine grandchildren and traveling all over the world with Gloria.
Nestor is preceded in death by his parents, Jose Miguel Cruz and Sara Maria Perez and sister Ligia Silva. He leaves behind his devoted wife of 57 years, Gloria; brother Raul Cruz and sister Yolanda Cruz; four children Nestor and wife Teresa, Ricardo and wife Rania, Adriana Tilley and husband Jeff and Catalina Johnson and husband Rit. Grandchildren Craig, Christina and Catherine Tilley, Gabriela and Alexis Cruz, Sebastian and Ariana Cruz and Rit and Caylee Johnson plus a host of loving extended family members and dear friends.
Due to the COVID-19 virus, a private funeral will be held at Crowders funeral home in Webster on Thursday, April 16,2020