Helen Garcia Cruz

Helen Garcia Cruz, 82, of Amarillo, Texas, went Home to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at 8:59 AM. She was surrounded by her beloved family and church family.

 A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Central Baptist Church, 1601 SW 58th Ave., Amarillo, Texas, at 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 23, 2026, with Pastor Allen Copeland officiating.

 Helen was a New Year’s baby, born in 1944 to Robert and Elena Reffett in Carlsbad, New Mexico. She was a retired environmental specialist with Southwestern Bell, where she worked until the Amarillo offices closed. She also worked in private homes. 

Mrs. Cruz had been a cherished member of Central Baptist Church since 2008. She was devoted and faithful. Even when she was not feeling her best, she made her way to church and would come early. She answered the phone for many years for the bus ministry and was a door greeter as well. She had a special influence on the youth and a deep love for missions. Through the years, she hosted many missionary families in her home. 

Helen enjoyed listening to hymns, reading and studying the King James Bible, watching professional wrestling, flower gardening, going to garage sales, decorating her home, collecting Beanie Babies, ministering to the homebound, watching the Winter Olympics every four years, cooking for family and church events, working word search puzzles, sewing, attending local fairs, playing bingo, watching her grandchildren’s sporting events, visiting the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, and farming. She was also known as quite the family joker and storyteller. 

Most importantly, Helen loved sharing her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. She loved giving her Christian testimony to anyone who would listen. Her favorite passage of Scripture was John 14:1–6. 

Helen Cruz was, without question, a woman of faith. Her legacy was not built on possessions, titles, or recognition, but on faithfulness—faithfulness to her Lord, to her family, to her church, and to the people God placed in her life. She left that legacy for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, generations to follow, and her church family. 

She also loved sweets, especially pecan pie. At church fellowships, she would always want someone to sneak her a few extra pieces of dessert to take home. Her smile and her laugh will be deeply missed, but her legacy will live on in each one of us. She loved her family and church family deeply, and we loved her so much in return. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Yolanda Cruz; one granddaughter, Leslie Winningham; and one grandson-in-law, Bennie Williams. 

She is survived by her five children: Jesse Cruz of Lubbock, Texas; Susie Elliott and husband, Frank, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Flores Cruz and wife, Adriana, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; Trinidad Cruz and wife, Maggie, of San Antonio, Texas; and Norma Burney and husband, Bruce, of Amarillo, Texas. 

She is also survived by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Phillip Cruz and wife, Kerbi, and their children, Sofia and Archer; Ashley Desheuquette and husband, Ford; her honorary adopted granddaughters, Gabby Duenez and Corina Newell; Lindsey Cruz; Abigail Garcia; Ryadh Rio Cruz; Daniel Torres Gil; David Torres Gil; Krystle Cruz and her daughter, Ysabella Cruz; Linzi Joseph and husband, Rashaad, and their children, Azari Joseph and Kahmani Joseph; Jonas Cruz and partner, Dennies LeClere, and their children, Iris and Houston; Joshua Cruz and wife, Cheryl, and their children, Jonathan Cruz, Nemo, Heavenly,Daemien; and Lissa Yazzi and husband, Ramon, and their children, Mercedes, Natalie, and Leslie.