Manuel Grimaldo Nuñez

Manuel G. Núñez, an outspoken champion of local students as a counselor at the Fresno State Equal Opportunity Programming Department and as a trustee on the Fresno Unified School Board, died on May 1, 2023, surrounded at his bedside by his family, near his Fresno home. He was 86.

Manuel battled Parkinson’s Disease for over ten years and had been cared for by his wife, Lasara Núñez. They enjoyed 64 years of marriage.

At Fresno State, Manuel was a fierce defender of affirmative action initiatives in college. His ardent support for current and future minority students led to advocacy for outreach and programs that provided students with essential access and assistance. At FUSD, his push for appropriate secondary school funding and prudent spending marked his tenure on the school board as one of remarkable growth including 13 new schools built throughout Fresno.

Manuel was born in Santa Maria, California, on May 7, 1936. He was the first of six children born to Grimaldo and Dolores Núñez. Grimaldo Núñez worked as a farm laborer for his entire adult life until he opened the Núñez Pool Room at 609 W. Main Street in Santa Maria, when Manuel was six years old. Manuel learned at a young age to become a billiards and nine ball expert and later used these pool cue skills to earn extra pocket money in college.

As an adolescent, Manuel was a fan of Cal football and dreamed of attending the university and working as a radio announcer. Manuel was undeterred from pursuing a college preparatory schedule despite his high school counselor encouraging him to become a farm laborer, as expected. Manuel was accepted to Cal and UCLA but chose Fresno State because of the radio and television major that they offered.

Balancing a myriad of intellectual and personal interests as a college student, Manuel worked as a veterinary assistant for a young Dr. Chaffee at the Fresno Zoo. At Fresno State, he met his future wife, Lasara Sanchez, of Hanford, California. Manuel graduated in 1958 with a degree in History, and he and Lasara married later that year. Lasara later went on to teach as a primary educator in Fresno schools for 42 years. In retirement, she continued to be active in the education community.

Upon graduation, Manuel was a Fresno County social worker before briefly selling life insurance. Manuel next worked as a financial aid counselor at Fresno City College and Stanislaus State in Modesto. In 1974, he began working in Fresno State’s financial aid office and eventually moved over to the newly created Equal Opportunity Program, where he spent 21 of his 25-year Fresno State career.

Despite the many detractors of affirmative action, Manuel believed that all students, regardless of their race, ethnicity or economic status, could succeed at Fresno State and earn their diplomas. He worked tirelessly to promote the benefits of higher education to prospective students all around the Central Valley and assisted low-income students in unlocking the financial-aid pathways to college success. Manuel went to high schools in every local farming community to make sure the students understood the required coursework needed to gain admittance into Fresno State or the college of their choice. He spoke to thousands of students that had never been viewed as college candidates, and instead treated them as young intelligent minds, capable of achieving success in college.

Manuel also ran programming at Fresno State that included a summer bridge for newly admitted high school students that needed an extended orientation to college demands. He strengthened other programs such as The Chicano Youth Conference, Fresno State’s Freshman Orientation Night and parent orientation programming, and was instrumental in creating the first citywide college fair at the convention center in the mid-1980s. Manuel initiated and campaigned for these programs because he knew that not only minority students, but all students needed more information about the choice to attend college, how to secure financial resources to pay for it, and how to succeed once admitted.

Manuel not only believed in opening doors to college dreams and opportunities, but also believed in providing continued student support. Manuel counseled many students whose college aspirations were derailed by financial pressures or other unexpected hardships. Manuel advocated for grade substitution, where a student could substitute a subsequent grade for an earlier D or F. While this program was short-lived in the 80s, this philosophy has found renewed support in later decades.

In 1990, Manuel was elected to the Fresno Unified School Board. In his first four years, Manuel recognized the profound need to remodel and improve the existing schools and campaigned for funding to build new schools to ease overcrowding. In 1995, a $200 million bond finally gained a two-thirds majority support which allowed Manuel and his fellow trustees to embark on the sensible growth of Fresno Unified schools.

In 1995, Manuel retired from Fresno State to focus on his work at FUSD. Manuel had spent the previous four years working with international students. Manuel believed in the diversity that international students brought to the school as an opportunity to not only open doors for the student, but also as a way to build a bridge for community members to cultures that previously had little representation in the Central Valley.

On the school board, Manuel advocated for increased teacher training, pay and invaluable student programs such as music, special education, and after-school support. He believed special education and arts funding could be reconciled with proper budget management. Known for his quick wit and being plainspoken, his public comments were at times controversial during his board tenure. Whether ultimately perceived as acumen or misstep, the legacy of his vision and sustained accomplishments for FUSD students are undeniable.

Manuel served on the board for 18 years, including as board president from 1994 - 1995, and he retired in 2008, at the age of 72. He received numerous accolades during his professional career, including election to CSUF Chicano Staff Organization President in 1982, Association of Mexican American Educators (AMAE) Civil Service Person of the Year in 2002, and AMAE Special Recognition for Outstanding Leadership at FUSD in 2006. He was posthumously acknowledged in May 2023 by Fresno Unified Trustees with a formal proclamation recognizing his numerous achievements and contributions to FUSD.

Manuel’s dedication to the community and his profound belief in working for the betterment of others is reflected in the wide-ranging work of his children. His daughter Monica spent her career teaching at elementary schools in the Fresno Unified School District. Peter, his eldest son, is a longtime Union leader that represents workers throughout Fresno County. David, a physician, worked in pediatrics and public health throughout California until his retirement. His youngest son, Paul, is a prosecutor that has worked to serve communities in Southern California.

Manuel’s love of his Mexican culture meant that he kept his record player belting out his favorite canciones, and he and Lasara filled their home with authentic Mexican cuisine and decor. An avid golfer and sportsman, Manuel was an accomplished athlete in handball and all sports with a racquet.

In retirement, Manuel enjoyed traveling throughout California, the country, and the world. He kept busy and loved spending weekends improving his family’s home, barbequing, and enjoying the company of his large family.

He is survived by his wife Lasara, his daughter Monica, of Fresno, and sons, Peter, of Fresno, David, of Geyserville, and Paul, of Agoura Hills. He adored and loved his grandkids, Kristyn, Steve, Max, Sebastian, and Sophia, as well as his great-grandkids, Tyler, Claire, Bowen, Lennox, Cruz, Akino and Elena.

Manuel is also survived by his sisters Jessie Beeson, Annie Guerrero, Mickie Higgins, and brothers Alfred Núñez, and Larry Núñez.

A Celebration of Life service will be on July 13, 2023, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, located at 355 E. Champlain Drive, Fresno, CA, 93730. The rosary and mass for Manuel will begin at 9:30 a.m. The family will host family and friends in the parish hall immediately after the services.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers individuals will consider donating to one of the following charities:

Fresno State Chicano Alumni Scholarship, Fresno State - Alumni Giving Form – Alumni Giving Form (imodules.com)

https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1692/GID2/blank.aspx?sid=1692&gid=2&pgid=791&cid=1673&dids=129.217

The Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools,

https://foundation4fusd.org/donate-form/

The Greater Fresno Parkinson’s Support Group

https://cvcf.iphiview.com/cvcf/DonorsFundholders/AccountInformation/tabid/495/dispatch/accountselection_id$12834_hash$c699110b10f0ffce54449360a676f94d20168fe4/Default.aspx

Valley Caregiver Resource Center, Donate - Valley Caregiver Resources Center (valleycrc.org)

https://valleycrc.org/donate/

Hinds Hospice in Fresno, Make a Gift to Support Hinds Hospice - Hinds Hospice

https://www.hindshospice.org/donate/

https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1692/GID2/blank.aspx?sid=1692&gid=2&pgid=791&cid=1673&dids=129.217

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Nunez family.