Manuel A. Reyes

Manuel Reyes, co-founder and publisher of Dos Mundos newspaper passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 4, succumbing to pancreatic cancer after a short illness. The lifelong Kansas Citian and longtime civic leader would have turned 80 on May 4.

Mr. Reyes leaves his wife, Clara Rodriguez Reyes of 54 years, daughter, Diana Reyes Raymer, son, Edward Reyes of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Susan, his spouse, and seven grandchildren.

Besides his immediate family, Mr. Reyes is survived by one brother, cousins, an uncle, many, many friends and employees of Dos Mundos and Reyes Media.

Mr. Reyes was born in Kansas City, Kan., on May 4, 1938. He was the second of four children of Joseph Reyes and Mary Mejia. His father worked in an ice plant; his mother was chiefly a homemaker who worked for a short time in a meatpacking house.

Mr. Reyes graduated from Westport High School in 1957 and later studied graphics communications at Johnson County Community College.

Before starting the region’s first English-Spanish newspaper in June 1981, Mr. Reyes worked first as a sales representative and then as a welder.

In recognition of his efforts as publisher of Dos Mundos, Mr. Reyes has received such honors as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Hispanic Publications; the Top 100 Hispanics in the Media by the Hispanic Media Association; a special achievement award from the National Association of Hispanic Publications; and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City’s Small Business of the Year Award.

An avid community booster, Mr. Reyes was active in civic engagement. Over decades, he was involved with groups that include Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Westside Business Association, American G. I. Forum, National Federation of Hispanic Owned Publications, Fiesta Bullwhacker Days Olathe Ks., the Westside Fountain Committee and more. He co-founded the Southwest Boulevard Business Association.

For his many contributions to the community over a lifetime, Mr. Reyes has been the recipient of numerous awards. Among those are the Guadalupe Center’s I. Pat Rios Award, the Greater Kansas City National Hispanic Heritage Committee’s Community Service Award and with his wife, Clara, the Jackson County, Mo.’s Legacy List of the 175 most influential builders of Jackson County.

A memorial mass will be held on Monday, March 12 at 4 p.m. at Holy Cross Church, 8311 W 93rd St., Overland, Park, Kan. 66212