Manuel F. Ramirez

Manuel F. Ramirez, 86, of Arvada, passed away August 28, 2018

Manuel was a Colorado native, born in Ault on October 4, 1931. He spent his youth years in Greeley, attending school and participating in his favorite activity, baseball.

In 1949 at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving for four years during the Korean War. After his honorable discharge, he met his wife Marcella Lomeli and they were married in 1954. They moved to Denver and started their family of four. Manuel quickly became a devoted family man.

In Denver, Manuel found a job that would become his career at Electron Corporation. He worked there from 1959 until his retirement in 1993.

The couple and their four children would live in the same house from the mid 1950s until 2015. He contributed to the youth of the neighborhood by hosting shop classes, where he would regularly teach local kids auto mechanics and he was a driving force in the establishment of Baker Recreation Center for youth activities.

While working and raising his family, he continued to play competitive baseball on a team that traveled throughout the state until he hung up his cleats in the early 1970s. Keeping his sons occupied, he continued to be active in camping, golf, softball, skiing, coaching, horseshoes, swimming and keeping up with four boys.

He and Marcella enjoyed bowling and participated in bowling leagues together. They also took time to socialize with friends and family, with music and dancing being a favorite past time. Manuel valued his years participating in the Littleton Elks Club, as well as contributing to his community by being an elected board member of the Crestview Water and Sanitation District in the North Metro area.

In his later years, following retirement, he found pleasure in woodworking and kept active with his expanding family of grandchildren. He would attend many sports activities, performances and all the joyous moments that grandchildren had to offer.

Manuel and Marcella, who passed away in 2016, were founding members and very active at Our Lady of Visitation Parish in Westminster, Colorado.

Manuel was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Marcella. He is survived by three sons, Randy (Beverly) Ramirez, Ronald (Lisa) Ramirez and Robert (Rosemary) Ramirez; Eight Grandchildren, Andrew (Yolanda) Ramirez, Jessica (Timothy) Cogbill, Amanda (Casey) Overton, Jennifer Ramirez, Ryan (Meredith) Ramirez, Kayla (Jared) Wigand, Roman Ramirez, Mason Ramirez; Five Great-Grandchildren, Esai Ramirez, Isabella Ramirez, Talia Ramirez, Lucas Overton, Hayden Wigand; sister, June Recio; brother, Leroy Vigil; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife Marcella, Manuel was preceded in death by a son, Russ Ramirez, three brothers, Ben Vigil, Larry Vigil and John Vigil, Jr. and two sisters, Cleo Sanchez and Ernestine Davis.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Autism Society of Colorado.

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