Manuel Lopez

LOPEZ, Manuel D., 89, of Tampa, passed away December 24, 2006, at home surrounded by his loving family. A native and lifelong resident of Tampa, Mr. Lopez was preceded in death by his parents, Manuel and Ysabel Lopez, and brother, Leon Lopez. Survivors include his loving family, sons, Manuel A. Lopez and wife, Nancy, Joseph K. Lopez and wife, Linda, and Dennis A. Lopez, and wife, Terry; daughter, Mary Frances Lopez-Perez and husband, Dr. John Charles Perez; and 12 adoring grandchildren, Brian S., Patrick M. and Kathleen F. Lopez, Joseph K. Lopez Jr., Jacquelyn K. and Justin K. Lopez, Alexandra, Dennis Emmanuel and Dylan Lopez, and Francesca Marie, Christian Charles and John Charles Perez II; loving mother of his children, Frances Pardo Lopez; and sole nephew, Rudolph Lopez. The family would like to give special thanks to Sonia Ellis for her devotion and loving care of Manuel over the last four years. The family would also like to give special thanks to Dr. Rand Altemose M.D. and staff for the wonderful care afforded Manuel over the last 12 years. Mr. Lopez was the founder and president of Lopez Feed Co., Inc., which he led for nearly 60 years until his retirement. Manuel had a variety of business interests throughout his career including ownership of the Palatka Braves, a minor league baseball operation, 30-year superintendent of the Hillsborough County Port Authority foreign livestock shipping facility, beef cattle and parimutuel horse racing enterprises, former president of the Hillsborough County Cattleman's Association and former president of the Hillsborough County Feed Manufacturers Association. He was a Paul Harris fellow. Manuel was a 50 year member of the Sen. John Tuten Hunt Club of Estill, S.C., and Tampa. He was the last surviving charter member of the Ybor City Chapter of Rotary International, which he helped found in 1948. Unquestionably, however, his belief was that his family and children were his greatest achievement. He was a baptized Catholic. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 30, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 1711 E. 11th Ave., with Monsignor Laurence E. Higgins, P.A., pastor, St. Lawrence Catholic Church, officiating. Interment will follow at Myrtle Hill Memorial Park. Pallbearers include Robert and Earl Diez, Edward Gray Ellis, Tom Hanlon III, Sam Mirabella Jr., Richard Muga, Lee Pallardy III, Dr. John Charles Perez, Donald Stine and Rob Wiseman. Honorary pallbearers include members of the Ybor City Rotary Club. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to LifePath Hospice, Inc., 3010 W. Azeele St., Tampa, FL 33609, Ybor City Rotary Foundation, P.O. Box 5931, Tampa, FL 33675, and Our Lady of Hope/Communita Cenacolo, 25 Cathedral Place #307, St. Augustine, FL 32084, in memory of Manuel D. Lopez. The family will receive friends 6-9 p.m. Friday, December 29, at the chapel of