LTC Manuel "Manny" Carnero Jr. (US Army, Ret.)

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Manuel (Manny) Carnero Jr. (Ret.), loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather peacefully passed away, surrounded by his family, on the 5th of February 2025 at the age of 95.

Manuel, fondly known as “Manny”, was loved and cherished by his family and friends and was well known for his kindness, honesty, a great sense of humor and his fierce protection of family. He had a zest for learning, loved the game of chess, and was always up to some type of fun mischief that made everyone around him smile. He lived a life of service, love, and devotion to his family, friends, country, and community.

Manny was born on the 30th of January 1930 in Brooklyn, New York and was one of 5 children born to Manuel Carnero Sr. and Antonia Carnero. He met the love of his life, Christina, in 1954 on a blind date while on military leave, and they were married several years later, on July 30, 1960, in St. Augustine Church in Troy, New York. They were married for over 62 years until Christina’s passing in December of 2021. Along with their two daughters, Mary and Linda, Manny and Chris, traveled the world and lived the life of a military family.

Manny was highly decorated and distinguished himself in war and peacetime serving over 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, over 20 years in the U.S. Army and he continued his service in retirement as Attorney at Law in Houston. Beyond his career and all his accomplishments, his greatest joy and source of pride was being a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great grandfather to his 8 grandchildren and 2 great granddaughters.

He joined the U.S. Marine Corp in 1947 at the age of 17 and at the time he left in 1956, he had achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. He served with the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions; and distinguished himself in heavy combat during the Korean War, including in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir with C Company, 1st Shore Party, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division.

In 1956, Manny left the Marines and joined the U.S. Army where he then served for over 20 years and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Manny was trained as an Army pilot and served two tours in Vietnam as an Infantry Aviator flying helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft in the prestigious 11th Air Assault Division, the 1st Air Cavalry Division, and as Commander of Reconnaissance of the 185th Aviation Company. After his tours in Vietnam, he served as Chief of Plans and Operations at Fort Sam Houston, taught at the Command and General Staff College in Leavenworth Kansas, and in his last assignment before retiring in 1977, served as the Department of the Army Regional Representative to the FAA for the Central and Great Lakes Region.

Through the course of his service in both the Marines and the Army, Manny was recognized for his outstanding bravery and awarded a number of prestigious medals, including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Crosses, Bronze Stars, Meritorious Service Medals, Purple Hearts with Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendations with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medals with 17 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Good Conduct Medal, the Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

Upon retirement from the Army at the young age of 47, Manny and Christina settled in Houston where he obtained a Juris Doctor (JD) Degree in Law from the University of Houston Law Center and served for over 25 years as Attorney at Law in private practice.

Along with running his private law practice, Manny and Christina were active in several veteran groups including the Houston Area Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America, the Korean War Veterans Association, and the Chosin Few Association. Manny and Chris were also active parishioners at St. Cecilia Catholic Church for over 40 years, where Manny was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and where, in 2010, for their 50th anniversary they renewed their marriage vows.

As Manny’s and Christina’s family grew to include his sons-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, they stayed very active in all aspects of their lives; traveling domestically and internationally to celebrate births, holidays, birthdays, sacraments, graduations, and at times just to visit. They were both an important and ever-present part of their grandchildren’s lives as they grew up and left a living legacy that we should be honest, kind, and caring, and the importance of devotion and service to family and country.

Manny was preceded in death by his loving wife, Christina, their 2 infant sons, Manuel and Michael, his parents, and 2 of his 4 siblings Gloria Bucci and Mary Carnero. He is survived by his daughters Mary Christina Stahl and Linda Antoinette Hughes and their husbands, Peter Stahl and Charles Hughes; his 8 grandchildren Anthony Stahl, Christopher Stahl, Melissa Stahl, Dustin Stahl, Michael Hughes (Julie Hughes), Christina Hughes, Catherine Hughes, Bridgette Hughes and his great granddaughters, Alice Hughes and Anna Hughes.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family of Manny from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 11th of February, in the Jasek Chapel and the Republic Wine Room of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where a Vigil Service and recitation of the Holy Rosary is to commence at seven o’clock in the Jasek Chapel.

The Mass of Christian Burial is to be offered at half-past ten o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 12th of February, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 11720 Joan of Arc Drive in Houston.

At a later date to be announced, Manny will receive full military honors when he is reunited with his wife Christina, at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family has requested donations be made to the Alzheimer Associations, or to the St. Cecilia Catholic Church, 11720 Joan of Arc Dr. Houston, TX 77024.

In honor of his loving wife Christina.…

Behind every soldier there’s a hero spouse or significant other, that stay up late nights praying for and encouraging that soldier and making sure everything is taken care of on the home front. Christina was that hero, serving as a single parent to Mary and Linda, when Manny was away in training and during his tours in Vietnam.

“May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sunshine warm upon your face,

And rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God Hold you in the palm of his hand.”

Please visit Manny’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com where memories and words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with his family.