Cricket, Thank you for being my friend: From motorcycles up and down Buffalo Hill, dune buggies at the North Jetties, countless days of skiing behind the Hydro, 4 wheeling at the Mud Hole, too many days to count fishing, and standing up for me as an usher in my wedding.....I'll miss you my friend .....George

I will never forget the day we met, January 14, 1974. We talked and laughed for hours. The next weekend we went on our 1st date and became each other’s 1st love for 7 yrs. Your parents (Maggie & Lawrence) loved and treated me like their daughter and I loved them like parents. To this day I can hear her yelling Cricket come here and swinging that pipe at you because you ignored her. Our first date was Pizza Hut and Sonny’s Lounge on Lem Turner Rd. We were sitting at the booth at Sonny’s and a guy came up and asked you to dance, he thought you were a girl because your hair was longer than mine. Being embarrassed you had a hair cut the next day. I remember many Saturday nights dressing up, coming to your house for what I thought would be a night out at Sonny’s dancing with our friends, but little did I know we were working on the motor to your Dune buggy to ride at the Jetties on Sunday. We had so much fun and many great times. You always called me Debora Jean and would just laugh. I can still hear you to this day calling me that. I remember many phone conversations we had about Gabriella and how proud you were of her and the fine young woman she was becoming. God truly blessed you with a beautiful daughter. When I heard of your passing, my heart broke. God gained a great man and Angel to continue his work in Heaven. You are now at peach and with your parents. RIP Cricket, my 1st Love 

To the family of Cricket:  May you find peace and comfort.  Cricket was a swell person.  I knew him since General Hardware many moons ago!  He will be missed by many. God bless you all.

I miss you already.  With tears in my eyes, it is difficult to say much.  You were my brother, my close friend, and my confidante for as long as we were toddlers.  You have been close to me for 60 years and it is going to be hard just knowing I can't pick up the phone and have one of our fun conversations again.  I love you and miss you Cricket.  Rest in peace until we meet again, and then we can kick up some dust like old times.

I’ll see you again Cricket.  I am  Missing you my friend. Fourteen Years of my life spent with you. 
I am So thankful for the time I had with you.   🙏♥️
Bonnie



Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin

Emanuel Ortega

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Emanuel Lawrence Ortega Jr

January 14, 1956 – February 29, 2020

Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home

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