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Manuel Gomez was born to Manuel and Nestora (Gracia) Gomez in Brownsville, Texas, on February 12, 1931. He was the third of six children. He passed away peacefully on July 7, 2020, in Fresno, California. Manuel was a talented and gifted, self-taught accomplished musician. As a young man, he was a city bus driver in Texas while also playing in a Norteno band on the weekends. He married Estrella Mendez on February 11, 1956, in Brownsville, Texas, and they had their first child there, Delia. Manuel and his new family moved to Los Angeles in 1958 where he also worked as a city bus driver and a musician on the weekends and had their second child, Ricardo. They moved back to Texas and had their third child, Victor Manuel, and then they moved to Fresno, California, in 1962 and made Fresno their permanent home and had their last child, Dorina. While in Fresno, Manuel worked at California Compress for several years and then began his own trucking business while continuing to work as a musician in the evenings and on the weekends. Manuel loved to learn new music and different instruments and began playing with Mariachi Santa Cruz, the first mariachi group in Fresno, California, in the early 1960s. Manuel was a loving and fun, yet strict father. He was born and raised Catholic and took his family to church every Sunday. Manuel participated in Sunday mass as Mariachi Santa Cruz played every Sunday at Mt. Carmel. In 1972, Manuel began his own mariachi group, Mariachi Aguila. He was a pillar in introducing mariachi music for the mass at St. Mary’s Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church where he and his family have been parishioners for many years. Manuel also was a member of the St. Mary’s Guadalupana Society. Manuel loved spending time with his family and taught his children music. Manuel practiced music every day and so, the family home was always a home filled with beautiful music. Manuel encouraged music and taught several of his children’s friends music if they expressed a desire to learn. He had his own practice room in the house which was always filled with instruments. Manuel was kindhearted and compassionate and always willing and ready to lend a helping hand. He opened his home to relatives or friends in times of need. Manuel loved to cook for his family and he also loved to create and build special projects in his home. He was also a great mechanic and taught his grandsons how to troubleshoot and work on cars. Manuel liked taking his family to the mountains, like Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, as well as ocean getaways for vacations and trips to Brownsville, Texas. Manuel had a wonderful sense of humor and loved comedies. Manuel also loved a good boxing match or big-time wrestling, especially with his family. He is preceded in death by his wife, Estrella Gomez, in 2003, and his son, Victor Gomez, in 2012. Manuel will be lovingly missed by his children, Delia Gomez Horta, and her husband, Paul, Ricardo Gomez, and his wife, Liz, and Dorina. He will also be lovingly missed by his nine grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, and many nieces and nephews. Manuel will be missed for all the good that he did in this world and the happiness and joy he brought to people’s hearts through his gift of music. He is preceded in death by his wife, Estrella Gomez in 2003 and his son, Victor Gomez in 2012. Manuel will be missed by his children, Delia Gomez Horta and her husband Paul, Ricardo Gomez and his wife Liz, and Dorina Rita Gomez. He will also be missed by his 9 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild. Visitation will be held at Chapel of the Light Funeral Home on Friday, July 24, 2020 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. A rosary will be recited at 8:30 a.m. An outdoor funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 24, 2020 at St. Mary Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church. Interment will follow at St. Peter's Cemetery. NOTE: Due to CoVid restrictions, please contact the family for attendance requirements. Furthermore, MASKS ARE REQUIRED with social distancing in order to attend any services.

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Manuel Gomez

February 12, 1931 - July 7, 2020