Manuel Cadriel

“Meme,” as his family and in particular grandchildren called him, passed away at the age of 94 on Monday, April 20th, 2026 while surrounded by his wife and children, just two days short of what would have been his 95th birthday.

Meme was a worker at heart, literally. Leaving the fourth grade at Resaca Elementary in Brownsville, Texas, he set off to work, doing jobs cleaning shoes, working long days in the fields in the Texas sun, and cleaning offices. Meme labored in many jobs through age 12.

When he was 16 years old, he started truck driving. Through an old boss he worked for cleaning offices, he was introduced to Charlie Brock of Brock Pane and Glass, who showed him the ways of the glass trade and worked alongside Brock at the lighthouse by South Padre Island.

That opportunity shaped the rest of his life.

Meme’s work in the glass business took him all over the Rio Grande Valley region in South Texas before founding several of his own: Torres & Cadriel Glass Co., Cadriel Glass Co., Weslaco Glass Co., and Falfurrias Glass Co.

When he retired or was not working, Meme was constantly with his family, especially his grandchildren, even growing his own fruit trees to give out lemons, guavas, and nopales to his grandchildren to take home.

Meme was born to parents Ignacio Cadriel and Natalia Villarreal and had five siblings – Jose Cadriel †, Ignacio Cadriel †, Rosa Guillen †, Alfonso Cadriel † and Ruben Cadriel. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Feliciana Cadriel – also called “Chana” – and six children: Nydia Cadriel, Manuel “Sonny” Cadriel Jr. (Martha), Benita Martinez (Bobby †), Jose Cadriel (Diana), Amanda Watson (William), and Ruben Cadriel (Anne).

Meme was a grandfather to 17 – Roel Martinez, Natalie Martinez Salinas, Michel Hernandez Piña, Mayo “Boi” Hernandez, Marc Cadriel, Manuel Cadriel III, Argenis Cadriel, Bobby Martinez Jr., Brian Martinez, Tiffany Martinez, Clarissa Cadriel Ellis, Kristian “Krissy” Cadriel, Kathryn Cadriel, William “Billy” Watson, Felicity Watson, Emma Nearhood and Jack Nearhood.

Meme is also survived by 23 great grandchildren – Lola Salinas, Rey Salinas, Sebastian Martinez, Alessio Martinez, Aria Piña, Wolfgang Hernandez, Marc Cadriel Jr., Kenneth Cadriel, Cambri Cadriel, Cora Cadriel, Chloe Martinez, Caili Martinez, Caitlin Martinez, Devin Villarreal, Melanie Martinez, Brooklyn Martinez, Caroline Lopez, Charlotte Martinez, Joaquin Ellis †, Quinlynn Ellis, Ainsley Ellis, and Theo Ellis.

Meme’s memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 2nd, 2026 at Heavenly Grace Funeral Home in La Feria, Texas.