Manuel Torrez

Manuel Torrez was born on Sunday, December 28, 1930, in Reserve, New Mexico to Josephine Rodriguez-Torrez. His father was Santiago Torrez. He is survived by one sister, Ernestina Zuniga; one son Louie Richard Torrez and his wife Rosemary Torrez and two grandsons Jonathan Alexander Torrez and Thaddeus James Torrez. He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Feliz Torrez, three sisters Lupe Opp, Dinnie Baca and Josie Torrez and his second wife of 8 years Priscilla Torrez.

He and his family moved to Corrales, New Mexico in 1943. He lost his mother in 1946 to childbirth. He continued his schooling and graduated from high school at the Spanish American Seminary in 1948.

Manuel’s service in the Korean War from 1951-53 was one of the proudest times of his life. He was a noncombatant medic who served in the Army 2nd Infantry Division, “2nd to None”. During his tour, he discovered his interest in photography and bought a camera while in Korea. Manuel was ahead of his time because he quickly learned how to take a selfie. He would set the timer on his camera and pose. In the years following his return, Manuel settled into adulthood with God’s leading and protection.

On March 20, 1955, he married his love Feliz Trujillo. It is said that the first day of spring had a little of everything: snow, rain, wind, and sunshine. A few months after his marriage his father passed away. 1961 was a busy year as he completed business school, started a new job that would last 31 years, bought a home and had his only child, Louie Torrez at the end of 1961.

Manuel was known as a good father, husband and provider. He also was well known for his skill with numbers and strong Seventh-day Adventist foundation. One talent that might not have been as well-known was his ability to build and/or fix things, he was an old fashioned handyman. You could always tell Manuel’s work by the perfection of the end product. He built everything from gates to dog houses to sheds. His last shed was built here in Rio Rancho at the age of 86 in the summer of 2017.

He enjoyed traveling and this was recorded with thousands of photographs. He took his family to New York by car during the summer of 1970 for one month, visiting over 15 states. During his last years, traveling with family was a special time for him as well. He went to Washington DC in 2017 where he received a special letter of commendation from state congressman Ben Ray Lujan for his service in Korea. In 2018: he went to Washington state to travel with his grandson Jonathan; with his sister Tina to Arizona and Mexico; and on various trips north with his grandson Thaddeus to visit family and take in the sites. The last 18 months he and his son spent Saturday afternoons driving anywhere within a 125 mile radius. He loved the open road and all the things in nature this state has to offer.