Benito Cruz, 84, of Milford, passed away at 3 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2013, at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne. He was born in Mercedes, Texas on July 18, 1929. On March 2, 1955, he was married to Maria Malagon Cruz, who survives in Milford. He was a resident of Kosciusko County for the past 41 years. He moved to Milford in 1972, where he worked at Maple Leaf Farms. In 1974 he started working for Uniroyal in Warsaw as a machine operator, retiring in 2002. He loved the outdoors, gardening, mowing, and especially his John Deere tractors. Also surviving are seven daughters: Maria (and spouse Mario) Peña, Ligonier; Alicia (and spouse Dale) Cruz-Love, Claypool; Zoyla (and spouse Tom) Beckett, Casa Grande, Ariz.; Martha (and spouse Terry) Sell, Bourbon; Irma (and spouse Craig) Andrews, Whitestown; Beronica (and spouse Jason) Cruz-Hamill, Warsaw; Yesenia (and spouse Jason) Huguenard, Columbia City; 15 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Ana Maria Paredes, Winona Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and five brothers. Services will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, officiated by Pastor Alfredo Sanchez. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw. ***** Condolences may be sent via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com
