Manuel F. Diaz

1932 - 2021

On May 8, 2021, our Lord granted his prayer. Manuel F. Diaz began his journey home to his Lord and Savior.

He was born in a small country home, a shack as he called it, in Hill, NM on February 1, 1932. He was the oldest of five boys born to Calletana F. Diaz.

Manuel never liked school and dropped out at a very early age. So, with a cigarette in his mouth and a beer in his hand, he began work as a farm laborer and worked all his life until illness and age took over, from picking cotton to driving tractors and graters. His agriculture expertise was shared from NM all the way to Northern CA. With his uncle, he built his mom and brothers a home from an old train car and in that three-room home, he helped his mother raise his four brothers.

Later in life he met his love, Antonia Hernandez. After the birth of their daughter, they moved to Blythe, CA, to build a better life for his family. He was known for his guitar playing, singing and everyone remembers those parties in Palo Verde! Shortly after the death of his wife, Manuel moved back to Las Cruces, NM to care for his aging mother. He later came across illness himself and chose to move to Surprise, AZ with his daughter and family.

He was like a father to many and shared his ingenuity, his wisdom, his green thumb, his silliness and love of life with us all and is dearly missed. He instilled in us love, gratitude, respect and honor for life and mankind.
Manuel was preceded in death by his parents Jose R. and Calletana F. Diaz, his wife Antonia H. Diaz, his brother in law Alfonso (Ponchito) Rincon and many other family members and friends that he cared for deeply.

Manuel is survived by his daughter, Erlinda T. Parrish, his two god-daughters, Leticia and Patricia Gutierrez and their children, his four grandchildren, Jose M. (Pilar) Castrejon, Teresa (Juan) Andrade, Anthony Castrejon and Stephen Parrish, nine great-grandchildren, Jose A., Luis and Robert Castrejon, Esperanza, Cecilia, Alma and Nevaeh Andrade, Baby Parrish and Jaden Magana. His brothers Ray (Lupe) Diaz, Eulogio (Minda) Garcia, Henry (Lydia) Diaz and Joe (Connie) Diaz and their families.

Services for Manuel were held at Mater Misericordiae Catholic Church, 1537 W. Monroe Street, Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, May 15, 2021. Viewing and Rosary at 10:00 a.m. followed by Mass at 11:00 a.m.
Interment of ashes will take place at a later date on his Ranchito in Leasburg, NM.

Mortuary Services Provided by Surprise Funeral Care
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