Cruz Fernandez, the second of ten children, was born in Carlsbad on July 8th, 1915 to Hipolito and Maria (Zuniga) Fernandez.

In 1932, Cruz Fernandez became the first Hispanic to graduate from Carlsbad High School and was a gifted athlete. He attended the University of New Mexico from 1932-1934 on a basketball scholarship while majoring in Spanish and participating in football and track.

Cruz was the first Hispanic-American to work at the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, where he rose through the ranks to be Deputy Chief. In 1949, he graduated with honors from the FBI Academy in Washington D.C. and was widely considered to be one of the outstanding law enforcement officers of New Mexico.

In addition to his career in law enforcement, Cruz worked as a staff member for U.S. Senator Dennis Chaves and Joseph Montoya, and he was an honorary member of the State Attorney General’s staff.

Known as “El Patron,” Cruz was an advocate of the Hispanic people. He assisted the Carlsbad community with immigration issues like sponsorship papers; public-assistance problems, judicial and legal concerns, interpreting for people who couldn’t speak English, and working with the Red Cross in contacting military personnel stationed overseas during certain emergencies. He never accepted payment for any of his help.

Cruz was honored by the State of New Mexico in a 1966 Senate Joint Memorial. He was also a member of many community based organizations like the 1st draft board established in Eddy County, the Santa Fe Elks Lodge, Knights of Columbus, and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

Throughout his life, Cruz Fernandez was a humanitarian who had a deep love for his community, the State of New Mexico, and his country. He became a respected advocate for the Hispanic community and left a lasting impact on Carlsbad and the entire state.