With heavy hearts and deepest gratitude, we announce the passing of our incredible mother, Dixie Lea (Harz) Manzanares, age 87, back into the embrace of God.
Mom passed away peacefully on April 25th at her home in Castle Rock, CO, surrounded by her loving family including her “fur” family. She was born in Park Falls, Wisconsin, the daughter of Richard ‘Dick” Harz and Mary Rains Harz. Mom married our father, Luis Donald Manzanares, and they celebrated 54 years of marriage together before his passing in 2022.
A natural storyteller, you’d often hear mom sharing stories of her youth and how family and friends, animals, hard work, and nature shaped her and the values she carried throughout her life. She grew up on the Flambeau River in Northern Wisconsin and at a very early age learned the importance of work in service to others, as the family owned the Dix-Dox Resort, and each family member was integral to the longevity and success of the business. They worked very hard but also made time to play hard as well. The river was the heart of it all and often you would find mom out in a canoe, swimming, ice skating, or sitting atop her special rock out on the Flambeau with a good book in hand. She often expressed her love for all animals and how fortunate she was to have a childhood immersed in nature.
She attended Wisconsin State College and later served as a teacher for St. Ambrose in Tucson, AZ, where she started a donation program for a girl’s orphanage in Nogales, Mexico, St. Mary’s in Rhinelander, WI, and Taos Catholic School in Taos, NM. Mom and dad eventually settled in Castle Rock in 1971 and for many years she worked for Douglas County School District as a secretary and registrar until her retirement in 2006. After retirement she taught after-school programs for Denver Public Schools. Along the way she continually sought out volunteer opportunities to serve and help guide this world in a positive direction. A few examples include putting together and delivering food baskets to the needy, crafting and walking to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and being a member of a prayer shawl group that handcraft and donate numerous shawls to many causes.
Our mother was like a superhero on steroids-being idle was not in her nature! She stayed young at heart and was always up for an adventure like running in the Pike’s Peak Half Marathon-a race that brings in some of the most competitive runners in the world or completing the 18-mile Imogene Pass Run multiple times in her 60’s before volunteering almost every year thereafter mostly at Upper Camp Bird (elevation 11,235 feet) handing out water and food to runners. She loved spending time outdoors, in the mountains and embraced the moto of leaving this Earth cleaner and better than you found it for future generations. Mom rarely passed up a hike, whether it be a short and sweet trek up Devils Head or a strenuous all day/night hike down to the Havasupai Indian Reservation at the bottom of the Grand Canyon! Most recently she completed a pilgrimage to Medjugorje-a small village in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one of the most attended pilgrimage sites in the world.
Mom’s talents were endless, but what she might be most known for are the blankets she would make. Over the years she made hundreds of them! You name it, and she was on it, whether for graduations, weddings, baby blankets, etc., she was crocheting or knitting, putting thousands of hours of work and thoughtfulness into these cozy masterpieces. She loved books and was an insatiable reader specifically fascinated with Southwest culture and all things Native American. Her love for arts and crafts led her to seek out markets wherever she went to try to support local artists. Mom never met a stranger and loved to include everyone as part of her family. Family and friends will remember her endless generosity, selflessness, warm smile, conversation, and infectious laugh!
Mom leaves behind her children Donnie Manzanares, Scotty Manzanares, Meshelle Callahan and husband Brian, and Dixie Nicole Manzanares; grandchildren Tiernen Callahan, Taitum Callahan, Satori Rayne Manzanares, and Keira Manzanares. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Donald, infant son Joseph Manzanares, son Christopher Manzanares, and brothers Rick and Jim Harz.
A celebration of Dixie’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m., on May 30th, 2024, starting with Mass at St. Peter Catholic Church in Monument, Colorado. A reception at the church will follow hosted by Martha’s Ministries and then off to Fox Run Regional Park, 2110 Stella Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80921 where the celebration will continue.
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