Eugene Michael Der "Mike" Manuel

1942 - 2020

Eugene "Mike" Michael Der Manuel

June 23, 1942 - November 9, 2020

Mike was born in Erie, PA, to Eugene and Helen Der Manuel. The family moved to Buffalo, New York when Mike was young and he enjoyed playing football and baseball through high school, graduating in 1960 from Kenmore East.

Upon hearing from friends about Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction, CO, and the National Junior College Baseball Tournament held each spring there, Mike and a friend arrived in Grand Junction in January, 1962 and enrolled at Mesa. Mike played Maverick Baseball under Coach Bus Bergman 1962-63 and in the JUCO Tournament 62-63. He was named to the All Tournament Team in 63. He played in the 1963 season with the Grand Junction Eagles under Sam Suplizio.

Mike met Nancy Kirkpatrick at Mesa and they were married in Grand Junction in December, 1963.

Mike received a baseball scholarship to the University of Kansas. He played as a Jayhawk 1964-65 under Coach Floyd Temple, third base. Graduating in June, 1966 with a degree in Education he was hired to teach junior high in Pico Rivera, CA. Mike taught history and coached football there from 1966 until 1967. Daughter, Lisa Michelle, was born in March 1967.

Having completed his private pilots license in 1967, Mike decided he loved flying and enlisted into the US Navy, applying for flight school, December, 1967. He graduated O.C.S., Pensacola in 1968 and began flight training, moving to jets, and obtaining his Navy wings at Kingsville, TX, summer of 1969 with orders to US Naval Air Station, Miramar, CA. With the call sign "SLUF" Mike flew A4, A7, F4, F8 and F14's. He made several combat cruises with West Pac on several aircraft carriers from 69-79. He also attended Top Gun School at NAS Miramar.

Mike joined the Western Airlines Family in April, 1979 but stayed in the Naval Reserves and retired as CMDR with 23 years service. He flew for Western Airlines, and later, Delta Airlines out of LAX, SLC, CIN, flying domestic and international routes on 737,727, MD80, MD11,757, retiring off the 767 at 60 years old. Upon retirement, in 2005 Mike and Nancy moved to the Pebble Creek Community in Goodyear, AZ.

Mike enjoyed golf with the Birdie Chasers, Rattlers, PC Men's Golf League and Sunday Friends. He participated in church functions, and was the emcee for the Colorado parties. Spending summers in Colorado at his family ranch he worked continuously and hosted many friends visiting from PC and GJ. After 15 years in Arizona, Mike and Nancy moved back home to Grand Junction in April, 2020. In October Mike contracted Covid-19 and pneumonia and passed on to his eternal home on November 9, 2020. He is survived by Nancy.