Obituary of Josefa DeLeon

JOSEFA DeLEON, of Hackensack, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, at the age of 82 years. Born in Puerto Rico, she was the eleventh of twelve children to her late parents Carlos and Antonia. Reinaldo Antonio Leon is her sole surviving brother. She was the beloved wife of the late Antonio Cruz who died in 1988. Devoted mother to four children, her daughter, Elizabeth Cruz-Gonzalez and her husband Rey of Hackensack, and sons, Anthony Cruz and his wife Mary of Middletown,NJ, William Leon of NYC, and the late Oswaldo Leon. Devoted abuela to seven grandchildren, Liza, RJ, Megan, Rebecca, Katie, Allison and Jason. Treasured aunt, cousin, sister-in-law, mother-in-law and friend to all who knew and needed her. Survived by her oldest and dearest friends Harvey Tatelman, wife Clare and son Jeff. "Josie" or "Jo", as she was known to all who loved her, owned her own small jewelry enameling business using her talent for color and design and continued to be creative long after retiring. She was an active and fiercely independent woman who possessed a fighting spirit till the end. Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay." "And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today". The funeral on Saturday, February 28th, at 9:45 AM from the funeral home. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM at Holy Trinity R. C. Church, 34 Maple Avenue, Hackensack. The family will receive friends on Friday from 2 - 4 PM and 7 - 9 PM. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to her favorite charity St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude's Place, Memphis, TN 38105-1905 or the American Heart Association, 1 Union Street, Suite 301, Robbinsville, NJ 08691-4183.