Manuel Bersamin Obituary
Manuel Bersamin passed away on October 26, 2025 at the age of 68. Manuel was born on July 30, 1957 to his loving parents Max and Victoria Bersamin. He was a beloved son, brother, Uncle, colleague and friend whose humor, generosity, passionate leadership and empowering mentorship touched an entire community!
A native of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County, Manuel graduated from Watsonville High School in 1975. After serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chicago, Illinois, he attended Cabrillo College, followed by the University of California Irvine, earning a BA in Social Ecology. He earned an MA in Higher Education Administration from Stanford University and a Ph.d in Higher Education from the University of Arizona.
Manuel was the Director of the TRiO program at Hartnell College from 2006 until his passing. He was also a Cabrillo College Governing Board Trustee. Prior to Hartnell, Manuel served as the Director of CAMP at CSU Monterey Bay, the Director of EAOP at UC Santa Cruz and an Adjunct Professor at CSU Fresno.
Manuel served the City of Watsonville as the Mayor, Vice Mayor and a member of City Council from 2003-2012. He is the first Filipino American to serve as the Mayor of Watsonville as well as the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees.
Proud of his Filipino heritage, Manuel was also involved with the Tobera Project’s efforts to preserve Filipino American history and culture and was instrumental in getting the City Council to issue an official apology for the Watsonville anti-Filipino race riots of 1930. The resolution was passed in 2020.
Manuel is preceded in death by his parents Max and Victoria Bersamin and his sister Linda Alcala. He is survived by his sisters Alba (Fred) Reyes, Nita Roberts and Eva (Fred) Harried. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, uncles and aunts.
Funeral Service/Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 11:00 am PT at Twin Lakes Church located at 2701 Cabrillo College Dr., Aptos, CA 95003.
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