Manuel Flores

Manuel Flores was born on July 19, 1925, in Cambridge, Mass to Manuel and Gabriela Flores, immigrants from Portugal. He had three siblings, Gabriel, Alice, and William. When Manuel was 11 and during the Great Depression, His father died, making him the “man of the house.” He falsified his age (17) on his enlistment papers to join the U.S. Marine Corps. Manuel was sent to Parris Island for basic training and on to Camp Lejeune for parachute training. While there, he made corporal and was assigned to the 3rd Marine Air Wing.

In 1944, his unit was sent to Okinawa aboard the USS U.S. Grant. His assigned duties in Okinawa included inspecting the parachutes given to pilots of the 3rd Air Wing F4U Corsair fighter planes. He was also assigned to be the driver for Brigadier General Schilt. Upon the war’s ending in 1945, Manuel was transferred to train new recruits in low-level parachute jumps. At one point he was a stand-in for then actor Ronald Reagan in a WWII-themed movie when it came time for Reagan to jump out of a plane. Manuel left the Marine Corps after transferring to San Diego where he met his future wife of 69 years, Charlotte Diaz, at a USO dance in National City.

After a very short courtship, they married and started a family. His beloved wife died in 2015. Those left to cherish his memory include his children Bernadette and Jim Tomsovic of San Diego, Margo and Dan Haugum of San Diego, Toni and Dallas Simmons of Diamond Bar, CA, and Manuel and Michele Matassa Flores of Seattle, WA. Manuel is survived by 7 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

Manuel will be remembered by family and friends for his devotion to faith, family, and country.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, Nov. 13 at 10:00 AM at Mission San Diego De Alcalá followed by a graveside service at Holy Cross Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Best Defense Foundation at 249 Hwy 101, Solana Beach, CA 92075.

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A memorial mass for Manuel will be held Monday, November 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM at Mission San Diego De Alcala, 10818 San Diego Mission Rd, San Diego, California 92108. A graveside will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, 4470 Hilltop Drive, San Diego, CA 92102. A reception will follow the graveside service back at Mission San Diego De Alcala, 10818 San Diego Mission Rd, San Diego, California 92108.

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