Manuel Amado Lopez

Manuel Amado Lopez, affectionately known as “Manny” to all around him, was never without his signature smile, warmth, laugh, and witty humor among his loved ones and friends. Manny was born on June 25, 1943, to Alvaro Lopez and Maria de la Garza Lopez in Falfurrias, Texas, a town not much bigger than the room you’re in reading this. Manny spent his entire youth in Falfurrias playing sports, acting in high school theater plays, serving as alter boy, class president (and moments of class clown), and living as a general south Texan big man on campus of a little town.

Falfurrias wasn’t able to contain Manny’s ambitions and sense of adventure. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, and after a year or two experiencing college life, he enlisted in the U.S. Army to branch himself out even more. He served two years, in the arduous and hazardous city of Orléans, France. Manny was an Army mail clerk, and this allowed him to spend the weekends in Paris, swapping out his uniform for a slick suit to match the style en vogue of the day. This began Manny’s lifelong love affair with Paris and all things France.

With his two-year contract completed, Manny returned to the University of Texas, where he joined ROTC and studied Geography and Russian. Manny was an ardent UT Longhorns fan throughout his life, just ask anyone who knew him (hook ‘em!).

Graduating UT as a second lieutenant, Manny’s military career took off. He served one tour in Vietnam in 1969, and a tour in South Korea in 1972. Throughout and between those tours, Manny was a proud solider. He would serve with the 82nd and 101st Airborne, graduate Jump School, and lead and train the next generation of soldiers in his care.

Manny left the Army after 12 years of dedicated service as a Major, and began his civilian career further in service to our nation. He was a photo interpreter and satellite imagery systems analyst as a government contractor, working with the National Reconnaissance Office and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency throughout his career, with such companies as ERIM/General Dynamics, Sci-tor, and ManTech. If I told you anything more about his career, well…no I didn’t, wink-wink.

Manny thoroughly enjoyed his retirement through multiple, long-term visits to France and staying in the many arrondissements of Paris, traveling the world with Belinda, attending and surveying classes at George Mason University, and taking Tai-Chi classes for many years.

Manuel Lopez is survived by his son Matthew Lopez; brother Rudy Lopez; nephews Michael Lopez, Mark Newton, and Scott Newton; former wife Judith Lopez; former sister-in-law Joyce Newton; longtime girlfriend and partner Belinda Notz, and all of her children and grandchildren who Manny was thrilled to call part of his family and watch grow-up and develop into who they are today.

Manuel Lopez will be at his final rest at Arlington National Cemetery in the near future.