Manuel Enrique Garcia

Manuel deja a su esposa, Maria Eva Garcia; su hija Maria Socorro Alcaraz; su hija Patricia Vega; su hija Yolanda Lopez; su hija Silvia Villarreal y su hijo Enrique Garcia.

La visitacion para Manuel se realizará el martes, 22 de febrero, 2022 desde las 5:00 p.m. hasta las 9:00 p.m. con el Rosario empesando a las 7:00 p.m. en Hillcrest Funeral Home, 1060 North Carolina Dr., El Paso, Texas 79915. La misa funebre se llevará a cabo el miércoles, 23 de febrero, 2022 a las 1:00 p. m. en Saints Peter & Paul Church, 673 Old Hueco Tanks Rd., El Paso, TX 79927.

Los restos de Manuel descansarán en Mt Carmel Cemetery, 401 S Zaragoza Rd, El Paso, Texas 79907.

Podrá compartir sus gratos recuerdos y expresar sus condolencias en www.hillcrestfuneralhomeeast.com para la familia Garcia.

En lugar de flores, nuestro padre ha pedido que se hagan donaciones a la organización de concientización sobre el cáncer de mama Stand with Estella. Puede usar el link: https://epcf.org/estela. Cuando haga su donación, haga clic en "This Gift Memorializes" e ingrese a Manuel Enrique García en "Memorialized Name".

También puede hacer una donación a El Paso Children's Hospital destinada Para niños con paladar hendido. Puede usar este link: https://elpasochildrensfoundation.org/donate.html. Cuando haga so donación por favor haga clic en "Tribute Gift," e ingre a Manuel Enrique Garcia en "Name of Person."

The eldest of ten children, Manuel Enrique García was born on March 15, 1938, to Manuel and María García in Orranteño, Chihuahua, México. He was raised in Delicias, Chihuahua, México, the land of los vencedores del desierto.

Manuel met his wife María Eva Meléndez in 1966. They married on May 28, 1967. Manuel and Eva’s first home was located on Veracruz St. in El Paso. Eventually, they built their home in Moon City (Socorro), where they have lived for over 50 years and where they raised their four daughters Maria, Patricia, Yolanda, and Sylvia, and their son Enrique.

While he was known as “Rique” to his parents and siblings, Manuel was known to his friends as Manny or Don Menny. To his children, he was simply Dad. Eva, however, called him Enrique, which often resulted in their children asking, “¿El grande or o el chico?”

As a teenager, Manuel went to work installing water wells for irrigation in the many agricultural fields surrounding Delicias. He found his calling as a mechanic by sneaking off to an auto mechanic shop instead of going to school. When Manuel’s father found out, he went to talk to the mechanic shop owner to address the problem. The shop owner, however, told him “You know he’s not going to go to school. Let him come here. This will be his school.”

While auto mechanics was his chosen trade, Manuel learned and used other skills throughout his life, including welding, metalworking, plumbing, carpentry, and masonry. He worked as a welder for Border Steel in El Paso and as a mechanic for El Paso Disposal. Eventually, he opened his own shop, Manny’s Garage. Over the years, he built an extensive list of loyal clients who knew they could always depend on Don Menny to fix their cars. Don Menny’s clients looked to him for everything from minor and major tune-ups, brake realignments, and radiator repairs to complete transmission rebuilds and engine overhauls. Whether working on cars in his shop, at client’s homes, or wherever a car happened to break down, Manuel was unmistakable in his “uniform,” blue Dickie’s pants and button-down, long-sleeve shirt.

Manuel was also great singer. He had a strong voice that was easily heard in a crowd, at church, or any venue where he sang. At parties and restaurants, if there was a mariachi, Manuel’s family and friends always asked him to sing. In his later years, he could be found singing with the mariachis at Speaking Rock on Sundays. Manuel also sang in the choir at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, and during the Christmas season, Manuel served as the lead singer for las posadas. Once inside the house hosting the posada, Manuel’s strong voice served him well when leading the Rosary using his extra-large rosary that glowed in the dark.

In addition to singing in the church choir, Manuel served his parish in many other capacities. Under the leadership of Fr. Paulus Kao, Manuel helped purchase and fix cars that were used as prizes for St. Peter and Paul’s Bingo Nights. He put his skill as a welder to use, building the booths that were used for the parish’s annual kermess for many years. Manuel also drove the church bus. On Saturdays, he picked up children for CCD classes, and he taught CCD classes as well. Manuel also drove the church bus on different trips, including the Mount Cristo Rey pilgrimage and church trips to Cloudcroft. He also picked up the matachines who performed for El Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe and brought them to the parish.

Manuel's faith and devotion to the church was instilled in him by his parents, and he followed in their footsteps throughout his life. As a young man working in the United States, Manuel found out that the church in his hometown of Oranteño needed a statue of San Martín the Porras. Manuel was quick to donate a statue of the saint, which still resides in the church today.

Manuel and Eva were always active in church life, especially as members of El Movimiento Familiar Cristiano. They always made sure that they and their children attended Mass on Sundays and feast days, and they made sure that their children received all of their sacraments. A favorite tradition for Manuel and his family was the visiting los Siete Altares during Lent, which usually included a trip Long John Silvers.

In his later years of life, Manuel and Eva became active members of the Adoración Nocturna. They served diligently for almost fourteen years until the pandemic and Manuel’s declining health forced them to stop.

The outdoors was a great love for Manuel. Growing up, he enjoyed fishing, riding horses, and spending time with his brothers in the countryside. When his children were young, he would take them on long walks and bike rides. From their house in Moon City, they traveled down Old Hueco Tanks Road or North Rio Vista Road and through the cotton fields that once covered Moon City. Sometimes, they went further, going as far as the hills where Magic Landing once stood and returning home after dark. On one occasion, they were caught in a heavy downpour with thunder and lightning. Manuel and his children, some of the crying, found shelter from the rain under a tree, but not before Sylvia lost one of her flip-flops in a deep puddle in the road. The next day, Manuel and Enrique returned and rescued Sylvia’s flip-flop from the puddle.

Of all the outdoor activities that Manuel enjoyed, fishing was his passion. For years, Manuel went fishing with friends and family to HideAway Lakes just outside of Tornillo, Texas, often returning home with an ice chest full of fish. When Manuel and Eva traveled to Austin or San Antonio to visit their daughters Patricia and Yolanda and their son Enrique, going fishing was always on his to-do list.

Manuel had a sweet tooth. Chocolate ice-cream, Galletas María, esponjas, and maranitos were some of his favorites, especially with a hot cup of Nescafe. Manuel also liked chocolate turtles, and he liked to share them with his grandchildren. In fact, for Manuel, spending time with his grandchildren was an immense joy, and they loved spending time with him.

All of Manuel’s grandchildren and his great granddaughter remembered having special times with Manuel. Amarissa said she enjoyed sharing chocolate turtles with her grandfather when he picked her up from school. She remembered there were always three turtles in a pack. So, she and grandpa got one whole turtle each, and then they split the third in half. Cynthia, the eldest of Manuel’s grandchildren, said her most cherished memories of her grandfather were of fishing with him at Ascarate Park and getting to go with him wherever he went.

Amarissa’s sister, Viana, remembered her grandfather having to crawl into the playscape at McDonald’s to get her because she did not want to leave the propeller at the top of the playscape. Alejandro, their brother, enjoyed pretending to fix cars while Manuel worked. He also said that the smell of motor oil and Marlboro cigarettes always reminds him of grandpa.

Meanwhile, Victor, remembered his grandfather sparking his love of card games when Manuel brought out an electronic blackjack game while taking break from working. Manuel showed him how to play. Of this experience, Victor said, “It spawned my interest in card games, so that I could know more and get closer to him.” Erika remembered that her grandfather was always up for another game or adventure. Whether it was playing lotería or dominoes, having a piñata party, going fishing, spending the day in Ruidoso, or going to Viva El Paso, Erika remembered grandpa always saying, “¡Que no pare la fiesta!”

And Victoria, Manuel’s lone great grandchild, enjoyed eating ice-cream with her great grandfather and always remembered to pray for him saying, “And help protect my great grandpa. Make him feel better. Amen.”

Manuel was also a good cook. During the summer, making carne asada with cebollitas and elotes was one of Manuel’s favorite activities and a special treat for Eva and their children. His breakfast specialty was papas con huevo which he made in a large, black sartén that had long lost its handle—as far as Manuel and Eva’s children are concerned, the sartén never had a handle. And if there was enough time, Manuel would make fresh flour tortillas as well.

Manuel is survived by his wife María Eva, his daughters María Socorro Alcaráz, Patricia Vega, Yolanda López, and Sylvia Villarreal, and his son Enrique García. Manuel is also survived by his grandchildren, Cynthia Patricia Vega, Erika Lopez, Amarissa Villarreal, Alejandro Villarreal, and Viana Villarreal, his great granddaughter Victoria Mia Vega Nieto, and his sons-in-law, Victor Alcaráz, Enrique Vega, Jimmy López, and Hugo Villarreal. Manuel is also survived by his brothers Raúl, Mario, Manuel “Meño,” Miguel Angel “Cacho,” Arturo, Oscar “Prieto,” Ernesto “Güero,” and his sister Elsa “Burbuja.” He was preceded in death by his father and mother, his sister Virginia, and twin brothers who died at birth.