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ERNEST D. MANZANARES, 88, passed away peacefully at the El Castillo Retirement Community in Santa Fe, New Mexico on September 22, 2010. He was born in La Cueva, NM, on February 9, 1922. He was preceded in death by his grandmother Maria Rita Trujillo; grandfather Isidoro Campos; mother Rufina Campos; and father Ernesto Manzanares; brothers, Eddie and Albert Williams; sisters, Julia Zamora and Esther Maestas; and his beloved wife Frances Medina Manzanares. He had no children. He is survived by two brothers, George Williams and Roger Williams both of Albuquerque, three sisters Grace Castro of Salinas, CA, Kate Griego of Albuquerque, and Mary Lou Castillo of San Diego, CA and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family. Ernest grew up in Mora attending elementary and high school. In 1939 at 17 years of age he joined the United States Civilian Conservation Corp. 831ST and worked building and improving trails in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. In 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Army joining Company C of the 120th Engineer Combat Battalion. He served in WWII in Algeria, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. He participated in battles and campaigns in Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Southern France, and Rhineland Central Europe. He received the Bronze Star Medal for heroic achievement in action on October 23, 1944 near Fremifontaine, France, and was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds received March 26, 1945 in Germany. After the war, he worked at Jacuzzi Company, Assembly Division in Richmond, California and in New Mexico building facilities at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. During this time, his working partner Alvin Kemper introduced him to his wife's (Preddy) sister, Frances Medina of Cleveland, New Mexico. Ernest and Frances were married in Santa Fe, NM on February 10, 1951 and moved to California where he worked in the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades until 1974 constructing many commercial buildings and skyscrapers in Los Angeles, California during the 1950's, 60's, and 70's. Ernest and Frances lived in Venice, California for 20 years, two blocks from Venice Beach. Family and friends enjoyed their hospitality on visits to Venice Beach that usually included beachcombing, Disneyland, and nightclubbing. They later resided in Santa Monica, California, and then in Seal Beach, California. He and Frances retired in 1974 and moved to Farmington, NM to live near Alvin and Preddy Kemper. They enjoyed living in New Mexico and this allowed them to camp, fish and be near family and friends in Farmington, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Mora. Ernest continued to work in Farmington on jobs with Kemper Construction and for Western Drywall until his complete retirement in 1990. After Frances died in 2003, Ernest decided to move to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2004 to be cared for by his niece and nephew Geraldine and David J. Salazar. In Santa Fe he lived at the Rosemont, Santa Fe Care Center, and for the last two years at the El Castillo. A Rosary will be held at Berardinelli Funeral Home in Santa Fe on Wednesday October 6, 2010 at 7:00 PM. Mass will be celebrated Thursday October 7, 2010, 10:00 a.m., at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. Internment will follow at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. The family would like to thank all past and recent caregivers at the Rosemont, Santa Fe Care Center and especially El Castillo for their hard work, friendship, and professional care. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the El Castillo Retirement Residences Training Program, 250 East Alameda Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 or the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi Eucharistic Ministry Program, 131 Cathedral Place, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501.
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