CRUZ S. LEZA VALVER

MUSCATINE, IA – Cruz Santos Leza Valver, 74, passed away on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at home, surrounded by his children, after a hard battle with lung cancer.

Cruz requested to be cremated but would still like family and friends to gather for a visitation and funeral Mass.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Ss. Mary and Mathias Catholic Church. The Very Reverend Rudy Juarez will officiate. Concelebrants will be The Reverend Chris Weber and Reverend Hai Dinh. Burial will take place in Greenwood Cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be from 4:00 until 6:00 pm on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Rosary Service will immediately be following visitation. Online condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com.

Cruz Santos Leza Valver was born on September 14, 1951, in Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico, son of Juan B. Leza and Ofelia Valver Leza. He married Maria Guadalupe Victorino on December 29, 1973, in Nava, Coahuila, Mexico. She preceded him in death on February 5, 2021.

Cruz retired and worked part-time at Greenwood Cemetery, where he took pride as a ground’s keeper. He also worked at Quality Foundry for over 30 years. He was a member of the Mision de Guadalupe and Ss. Mary and Mathias Parish. He enjoyed coaching soccer being a USSF soccer referee. He helped coach William ‘Bill’ Haag with the Koala Football Club. Then he went on to help the Muscatine Soccer Club. He also helped coach the kids for the Muscatine YMCA. In his spare time, he enjoyed watching his favorite sport, soccer. He was an avid fan of the soccer teams Pumas and Cruz Azul.

Those left to honor his memory include his four children, Maria Frausto and husband, Marino, of Muscatine, Santos Leza and wife, Nicole, of East Moline, Illinois, Ricardo Leza and wife, Veronica, of Muscatine, and Jorge Leza and wife, Jamie, of Muscatine; a great friend, Alejandro Castillo of Muscatine, Iowa; 11 grandchildren, Adrianna Molina and husband, Jesse, Michael Leza, Isaiah Leza and girlfriend, Elyse Reyna, Alexander Leza, Elijah Leza and girlfriend, Arianna Saultz, Madyson Leza, Jimena Frausto, Noah Leza, Fernando Frausto all of Muscatine, Mauricio Castillo, and Alejandro Castillo of Monterrey, Mexico; two great grandsons, Jesse and Javier Molina; siblings, Rafael Leza and wife, Juanita, Juan Leza, Francisco Leza (Beth Parks), Antonio Leza and wife, Brenda, Guadalupe Leza and wife, Gloria, Socorro Leza, Maria Magdalena Cardoza and husband, Manuel, and Petra Rodriguez and husband, Roberto; and several nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Juan B. Leza (2010) and Ofelia Valver Leza (1985); wife, Maria Guadalupe; grandson, Joshua Rey Leza; five brothers, Juan Pablo, Santos, Leonides Leza Valver, Juan Antonio, and Guadalupe Leza; two sisters, Refugio Leza and Maria De Los Angeles Varela; and sister-in- law, Martha Rivera Leza.