Manuel Sandoval Paras

Born in Palawan, Philippines, Manuel (also known as Nolds, Noling, Crudes or Manny) was the second of eight children of the late Dr. Armando Paras and the late Nieves Paras. His childhood bore witness to his father’s vocation of helping leprosy patients in Culion and his mother’s management of a rice mill, pharmacy and a ranch. He did busy work as a young boy but also enjoyed adventures with the siblings growing up in the island. Manuel received his swimming lesson from his older brother, the late Armando Paras Jr. who threw him off the dock to teach him how to swim. Needless to say, he survived that tough brotherly love.

He graduated with a Mechanical Engineering Degree from Mapua Institute of Technology in the Philippines and later added a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Degree from University of Michigan. It was at his first employment as a Shipyard Manager in Cebu, Philippines that led him to the love of his life, Violeta. A long engagement it was as they helped support their respective siblings first. After ten years, they finally afforded themselves a wedding. Nine months later, Sharon was born, followed by Marvin four years later.

Manuel was a strict, disciplinarian of a father, but also a funny, thoughtful and loving one. His granddaughters Ava and Ellie were lucky recipients of his most endearing version. When Ava wanted to sew a bag, “Lolo” (Grandpa) patiently fixed the problematic Singer sewing machine for her use. When Ellie’s favorite canned jackfruit was not available at the store, he bought the fruit and labored getting the meat, thorny shell and all.

He was one meticulous man. Everything was on excel spreadsheets, including his medications. Manuals were in clear plastic containers. In the domestic life he shared with Violeta in the United States, as he did not cook, he took care of the dishes. Like any job he held, he did this job masterfully – no food specks ever left behind on the tines of the fork and glasses gleamed. Never mind the amount of water, soap and scrubbing used in the process. Never mind that they do have a dishwasher.

But, let it also be known, that this was the very same person who took down a bigger, heavier man in a judo class early in his adulthood.

He was a quiet man, but loud in his convictions. Unwavering, when he knew he was right. Made confident by his voracious research supporting his assertions. Add his booming, stern tone honed by years of shouting commands over noisy shipyards and he was quite the presence.

Always an engineer, he loved a good problem that needed solving. He tinkered and fixed and if all else were repaired, he would open a machine to understand how it worked. The sepia-colored book “Applied Engineering Mechanics” from the 1970s made the same immigration journey from Philippines to the United States. Its brown pages now fragile with some coming loose, showing signs of overuse. Up until a month ago, the book was a constant companion. “To keep my mind sharp,” he would tell Violeta.

Ultimately, it was his heart that gave way. Thank you to the paramedics who answered our 911 call that night. His heart stopped twice; they were able to resuscitate him twice but the third time would be futile. We have lost Manuel – a beautiful soul.