Manuel Luevano

Manuel Luevano, 97, passed away peacefully at Somerford Place in Stockton, CA on September 1, 2019. He was the oldest of 5 surviving children born to Manuel F. and Altagracia Olmos Luevano. He was born in Encarnacion de Diaz, Jalisco, Mexico. When he was 1 year old, the family moved to the US, eventually settling in Byron, CA in 1928. Manuel grew up there, graduating from Liberty High School in Brentwood, CA in 1940.

Manuel was a veteran of WWII and was inducted into the Navy in 1943, where he served aboard the USS Curtiss, operating in the Pacific. While still in the service in 1944, Manuel received his US citizenship. Upon his discharge in 1946, he returned to Byron, settling in Stockton a year later. There he met Carolyn Burns. They married in 1949, had 3 children, and later divorced in 1961. In 1955, the family relocated to San Jose, where Manuel worked as an accountant in the banking industry for 22 years. In 1971, he went to work in the Social Services dept for the County of Santa Clara. He transferred to the Sheriff’s dept shortly thereafter, retiring in 1984 and returning to Stockton.

Manuel learned to dance at the Arthur Murray studio. He took to it so well that he was offered a job as an instructor there. Although he declined the offer, he continued to dance at every opportunity. In later years, when he wasn’t dancing at the local senior center, he enjoyed playing bridge there. He was quite good and very competitive. Wherever he was, you could count on a deck of cards being close at hand. He was also known for his sense of humor. He never met a pun he didn’t like.

Manuel did a little travelling in his retirement, going to Hawaii, Spain, the Panama canal, Cuba, and returning to Mexico to meet extended family. Manuel was a wonderful father, grandfather and great-grandfather and he especially enjoyed doting on his grandchildren. He seldom missed a game or a performance.

Manuel was preceded in death by his parents, 2 infant siblings and two grown brothers: Samuel and Alfred. He is survived by his two sisters: Isabel Cahill of Mountain View, and MaryEllen Fredricks of Stockton. He is also survived by his children: Michael Luevano of Goodyear, AZ, David Luevano (Gladys) of San Jose, and Carol Stout (Ray) of Twain Harte, along with 4 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.