Manuela G Carrasco

Manuela was born in Redford, Texas, on February 8, 1925, to Francisco Gonzalez and Regina Reza. She was her parents’ only surviving child and idolized her father, a jack-of-all-trades musician, whom she lost at a young age. In her early childhood, she loved spending time with her grandparents, riding her horse Konika and passing summers with her cousins at her grandparents’ ranch, Cañón de León, now a historically recognized dwelling inside Big Bend Ranch State Park. As a young woman, she enjoyed going to dances with her stepsisters and often reminisced about dancing to polkas. She would beam excitedly as she described how she and her partner would fly from one end of the dance floor to the other at a furious speed. She said the boys liked to dance with her because she was light and easy to lead, though this was only part of the reason. She would not say it, but she was also one of the prettiest girls in town.

At 18, Manuela married Delfin Carrasco, and they had five children — four girls and a boy. She lived in San Diego, California, for a brief time in the mid-forties with her firstborn child while her husband served in the Navy during World War II. She spoke fondly of this time period of her life and of seeing the ocean for the first time.

Later, back in Redford, her fortune reversed when her husband returned from the Second World War a changed and diminished man. She faced hardship and poverty while raising four children with the help of her mother and stepfather, Damas Dominguez. Despite having little means, she always made sure that her children were fed, presentable and in school. She became a widow in the fifties.

As her children got older, Manuela realized that she needed to leave her tiny and remote town, also known as El Polvo (The Dust), to give them a better chance at a good life. She made the brave and frightening decision to leave the house where she was born and, with the help of her stepsister and brother-in-law, move her family to the bigger, more prosperous town of Kermit, Texas. She found work cleaning houses, and the family settled into a new life and managed to buy a small house and a car. The pivotal decision to seek a fresh start put her children and subsequent generations on the path to prosperity.

In the early 1970s, Manuela moved to Colorado to be with two of her daughters and her grandchild. The last house where she lived independently was in Brush, Colorado. The little white house was spotless and lively. It was often filled with music and was decorated for every holiday — both major and minor. She enjoyed keeping busy with the upkeep of her house and yard.

Manuela loved spending time with her family and devoted many years of her life to caring for her grandchildren. She was the primary caregiver for eight years to her first grandchild and cared intermittently for her two younger grandchildren.

She had an innate sense of style and particularly loved a good animal print, a well-fitted pair of high-waisted jeans and jewelry (especially earrings), and she maintained a colorful and sizable shoe collection.

She had a wonderful sense of humor and liked to joke and laugh. Her signature squeal of delighted approval made everyone smile.

She was an excellent gift-giver, putting much thought and great care into the selection. Her family especially loved gifts from her kitchen — New Mexico style red enchiladas and pumpkin empanadas.

Manuela loved animals, children and music, especially music with guitars or a driving beat. Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and traditional Mexican polkas were some of her favorite selections, with “Ring of Fire” and “El Rancho Grande” being her well-known favorite songs.

Some of her other favorite things, in no particular order: morning coffee, the Lawrence Welk Show, detective dramas, the color purple, cheap drugstore candy, movies featuring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, hamburgers, rocks, improbable Hollywood car chases, flowers, birds, Dancing with the Stars and cake.

She is missed profoundly.

Manuela was preceded in death by her grandparents, Victorio Reza and Marcelina Hernandez, and Catarino Gonzalez and Prisciliana Solis; her parents, Francisco Gonzalez and Regina Reza; her stepfather, Damas Dominguez; her husband, Delfin Carrasco, Sr.; her twin sister, who died at birth; her stepsiblings, Damas Dominguez, Jr., Eulalio Dominguez, Guadalupe Dominguez Olivas, Concepcion Dominguez Castro and Maria Dominguez Pando; her daughters, baby Olga, Irene Aarseth and Delma Bigay; her sons-in-law, Carl Aarseth and James Luebker; many aunts, uncles and cousins, including favorites: cousins Flavia and Marcela, and uncle Miguel; and her pets, Konika the horse and Charlie, a beloved standard dachshund.

She is survived by her daughter, Yolanda Luebker; her son, Delfin Carrasco, Jr., and his wife, Mary; her son-in-law, Lyle Ellis; her granddaughter, Regina Bigay; her grandsons, Andrew Luebker and Michael Carrasco and his wife, Michelle; and her great-grandchildren, Athena, Lauren and Avery.

Services

Thursday, October 15th: Noon to 4:00 p.m. Public visitation with rosary recited at 3:00 p.m.

Funeraria Del Angel Hillcrest West, 5054 Doniphan Drive, El Paso, Texas 79932, 915-845-2339

Friday, October 16th: 10:00 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated

San Martin de Porres Catholic Church, 1885 McNutt Road, Sunland Park, NM 88063, 575-589-2106

Interment will be at Memory Gardens in Fort Morgan, Colorado, near her daughter, Irene.