Esmeralda Guadalupe Cruz

Miss Esmeralda Guadalupe Cruz, 18, of Tifton died on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.

A Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. at Our Divine Saviour Catholic Church of Tifton with Father Peter Oyenugba officiating. Interment will follow in Oakridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, December 10, 2021 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Albritton Funeral Directors.

Esmeralda was born October 8, 2003 in Tifton to Manuel Cruz Rios and Ruth Melendez Vargas of Tifton. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Antinio Cruz and Raquel Rios. Esmeralda was a member of Our Divine Saviour Catholic Church of Tifton and was a senior at Tift County High School. She was always a very studious student, loved to do homework and planned each and every day. She loved to take pictures and do crafts. She loved butterflies and the color sky-blue, pink and white. Esmeralda helped her Mother with everything in life.

In addition to her parents, Esmeralda is survived by her brothers, Noe Alejandro and Crystal Melendez and Manuel and Summer Cruz, Jr. of Tifton; three nieces, Isabella Marie Claire Melendez, Natalie Alexa Melendez and Veronica Veronica Lee; four nephews, Hector Manuel Cruz, Ricardo Jesus Cruz, Alvaro Gonzales and Jose Alvarado; her grandparents, Santo Melendez Mendoza and Angelica Vargas Teneyugue.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.