Kenneth P. Manuel

1945 - 2019

Kenneth P. Manuel

June 30, 1945 – May 22, 2019

Ken was born in Hayward, California on June 30, 1945, and grew up and lived his formative years in Niles (Fremont), California. He graduated from James Logan High School in Union City where he lettered in track and field and served as Senior Class President. Ken received his BA from San Jose State University in political science, and did graduate work at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Although he was a banker for many years, his real calling and passion was as an educator. He taught fifth grade in Suisun and Fairfield for over twenty years. He wanted his kids to know there were possibilities in front of them, that even if their families were recent immigrants, or economically challenged, or faced hardship in any way, he believed in them and would help them achieve their goals. He wore shirts with the names of different colleges on them in the classroom each day. He did this to familiarize his kids all the different colleges, and to provoke questions from them about where the campuses were located, what they specialized in and how they might one day attend one of these schools. He was deeply influenced and impacted by his own teachers and wanted to give back. After his retirement he continued to volunteer in the classroom.

Ken was proud of his family's immigrant roots; his grandparents, Jesus and Sebastiana Delgado and Jose and Teresa Manuel, his parents, Louis and Julia Manuel. He has an older brother Phillip, a sister Laurie, and Laurie's partner Beth Hoffman, who he considered a sister. He loved his many cousins; the Bragg family, the Noethers/Manuels, the Perrys, and the Delgados. Even though they may not have seen each other regularly over the years, Ken held all of his longtime friends, those he grew up with, in his heart. He had a wonderful community of colleagues, who were more than friends but extended family, Marilee, Stephanie, and Joy. Chester, his beloved cat, was a special part of his life.

Ken was an amazing son, a good friend, and a kind and gentle man who cared deeply for social justice. He served in Viet Nam but was fiercely opposed to war. He loved his country deeply and always wanted us to do better, to be better.

He believed he had been given much in his life and because of that, he needed to give back and he did so in so many ways as a quiet activist.

He proudly served on the Board of his teacher's union and was a proud liberal Democrat his entire life.

He loved animals and would adopt any homeless animal that came into his life.

His life was guided by fairness, compassion, and empathy. His love was unconditional, and his generosity was unlimited. He gave to so many animal organizations but none more than Giving Hope, a holiday program in Fremont for disabled and low-income seniors with animal companions.

He loved 50's/60's music but no British Invasion, 50's B monster movies like "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers", and goofy early TV comedies, especially "I Love Lucy". He loved sports, mostly baseball and the Oakland A's. He was clever, funny, and his annual winning streak at the family holiday Jeopardy tournament are evidence of the level of his smarts He read everything from Shakespeare to Harry Potter to Perry Mason.

He was the perfect big brother. He took me, his sister Laurie, to Disneyland for my 12th birthday, gave me my first "real" baseball glove, taught me to drive a stick shift, and took me as an 8-year-old with him to his college campus for a visit and maybe a bit of indoctrination.

He would tell you proudly and without hesitation he was from Niles, CA. With his loss, Niles has lost a little piece of its soul. In lieu of flowers, he would want you to VOTE. In addition, any donation to Cat Town in Oakland, Furry Friends in Fremont, or any animal organization in Fairfield, Ca. is appreciated.

We will honor and celebrate his life on Sunday, June 9 at 4 pm. Please call Fremont Chapel of the Roses for more details, 510-797-1900.