Manuel J. Luevano Downers Grove, Illinois Obituary

Manuel J. Luevano

"Manuel de Jesus Luevano born January 27, 1963, passed tragically March 20, 2020. He is survived by his strong, beloved wife, Martha Luevano, and loving children, Holly and Daniel Luevano. Manuel spent his early years on a small ranch in Mexico; sadly, he only got to spend a fleeting moment with his wondrous mother, Josefina Figeroa. Her light, so vivid and intense, it encircled and guided Manuel’s path throughout his life. Though the pain of her passing would be felt throughout his entire life, he never lost sight of what she meant to him. An indestructible beacon of hope, caring, dedication and compassion. It created a resolve to always protect and cherish those he held dear to his heart. He honored his Mother’s legacy by always watching over his younger brothers; Daniel and Rick, making sure they were fed, clean and loved. Manuel eventually made it to Chicago IL at the tender age of 11. Growing up in the 70s was difficult and dangerous but he always fought for what he believed in, and always watched over his brothers. Though he had to grow up quickly, he still embraced all aspects of life. A gifted athlete, he had a cannon for an arm and hands like a grizzle bear. He’d challenge anyone, at any sport, anytime. It didn’t matter the activity; he loved the competition and thrill of winning. A pool shark if the balls were falling, a 3-point sharpshooter when the wind wasn’t blowing and a slugger if the pitch was high and tight. Fearless; always pushing his boundaries and drowning out any doubt he couldn't accomplish a given feat. A man of technique and adaptation, if his natural talent didn’t suffice, his eternal determination would. Manuel was a tactician on and off the field, always conversing about the latest sports talking points and broadcasting his opinion. His love for sports was only matched by his love for music. It was common to hear Depeche Mode or The Cure bouncing off the walls every weekend while he relaxed, coffee in hand catching up on events. Though a child of the 70s and 80s he wasn’t limited to those decades’ trends. Forever a young man at heart, he pursued new musical trends such as modern alternative bands- Arcade Fire, Cage the Elephant, The Killers and Gorillaz. Listening to music brought joy and comfort to his life. Manuel even dreamt of being a music video director or roadie in his youth. His appetite for sports and music could never match his actual appetite. With the stomach of a lion, he always craved new and exciting cuisines, or experimenting at home. He could eat three times his weight and never gain a pound. He always wanted to bulky up and stay strong but never at the expense of a great tasting meal. Manuel evolved into a strong, quick witted man with a story to tell and lesson to teach. Like all the windows he installed on newly constructed Comiskey Park that he’d proudly point out while driving by, or the stories he’d tell of the dock plates he single-handily installed. With countless repairs around the house, he loved working with his hands. Creating and maintaining something from nothing brought a great sense of pride into his life. A modern-day MacGyver, he could fix anything you placed in front of him. He refused to read a manual. He’d measure once and cut once somehow managing to cut the piece to perfection. He had an eye and talent for breaking things down to their most basic forms so they could easily be understood. If he’d assemble something for you, you’d be guaranteed to have extra parts for later. Never shy to talk about failures, his resolve to succeed in life was unbreakable. He inspired those around him, never giving up on them, always providing a helping hand. A man of action, acting on his instincts and never apologizing for who he was and what he believed in. Though he ventured out into the world a bit, his course in life would forever be altered when he met the love of his life in the summer of 85; Martha Hernandez. They met at his sister, Teresa’s, house casually being introduced to one another. They quickly fell in love and started a new life together. They were officially wed, March 15, 1991. Though unceremonious, their love for each other didn’t need grand gestures. This notion of small sweet gestures would permeate throughout their entire marriage. Whether it was making time to have dinner together, clean together, travel together or just relax exploring the world through the comfort of their living room. He would spend the rest of his life, happily married to her. Manuel was a loving, dedicated man with a great sense of humor. He was honest and transparent always treating those around him with respect. He will live on through the hearts of all those who were lucky enough to have been helped, guided and cared for by him."
January 27, 1963 - March 20, 202001/27/196303/20/2020
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Obituary

"Manuel de Jesus Luevano born January 27, 1963, passed tragically March 20, 2020. He is survived by his strong, beloved wife, Martha Luevano, and loving children, Holly and Daniel Luevano. Manuel spent his early years on a small ranch in Mexico; sadly, he only got to spend a fleeting moment with his wondrous mother, Josefina Figeroa. Her light, so vivid and intense, it encircled and guided Manuel’s path throughout his life. Though the pain of her passing would be felt throughout his entire life, he never lost sight of what she meant to him. An indestructible beacon of hope, caring, dedication and compassion. It created a resolve to always protect and cherish those he held dear to his heart. He honored his Mother’s legacy by always watching over his younger brothers; Daniel and Rick, making sure they were fed, clean and loved. Manuel eventually made it to Chicago IL at the tender age of 11. Growing up in the 70s was difficult and dangerous but he always fought for what he believed in, and always watched over his brothers. Though he had to grow up quickly, he still embraced all aspects of life. A gifted athlete, he had a cannon for an arm and hands like a grizzle bear. He’d challenge anyone, at any sport, anytime. It didn’t matter the activity; he loved the competition and thrill of winning. A pool shark if the balls were falling, a 3-point sharpshooter when the wind wasn’t blowing and a slugger if the pitch was high and tight. Fearless; always pushing his boundaries and drowning out any doubt he couldn't accomplish a given feat. A man of technique and adaptation, if his natural talent didn’t suffice, his eternal determination would. Manuel was a tactician on and off the field, always conversing about the latest sports talking points and broadcasting his opinion. His love for sports was only matched by his love for music. It was common to hear Depeche Mode or The Cure bouncing off the walls every weekend while he relaxed, coffee in hand catching up on events. Though a child of the 70s and 80s he wasn’t limited to those decades’ trends. Forever a young man at heart, he pursued new musical trends such as modern alternative bands- Arcade Fire, Cage the Elephant, The Killers and Gorillaz. Listening to music brought joy and comfort to his life. Manuel even dreamt of being a music video director or roadie in his youth. His appetite for sports and music could never match his actual appetite. With the stomach of a lion, he always craved new and exciting cuisines, or experimenting at home. He could eat three times his weight and never gain a pound. He always wanted to bulky up and stay strong but never at the expense of a great tasting meal. Manuel evolved into a strong, quick witted man with a story to tell and lesson to teach. Like all the windows he installed on newly constructed Comiskey Park that he’d proudly point out while driving by, or the stories he’d tell of the dock plates he single-handily installed. With countless repairs around the house, he loved working with his hands. Creating and maintaining something from nothing brought a great sense of pride into his life. A modern-day MacGyver, he could fix anything you placed in front of him. He refused to read a manual. He’d measure once and cut once somehow managing to cut the piece to perfection. He had an eye and talent for breaking things down to their most basic forms so they could easily be understood. If he’d assemble something for you, you’d be guaranteed to have extra parts for later. Never shy to talk about failures, his resolve to succeed in life was unbreakable. He inspired those around him, never giving up on them, always providing a helping hand. A man of action, acting on his instincts and never apologizing for who he was and what he believed in. Though he ventured out into the world a bit, his course in life would forever be altered when he met the love of his life in the summer of 85; Martha Hernandez. They met at his sister, Teresa’s, house casually being introduced to one another. They quickly fell in love and started a new life together. They were officially wed, March 15, 1991. Though unceremonious, their love for each other didn’t need grand gestures. This notion of small sweet gestures would permeate throughout their entire marriage. Whether it was making time to have dinner together, clean together, travel together or just relax exploring the world through the comfort of their living room. He would spend the rest of his life, happily married to her. Manuel was a loving, dedicated man with a great sense of humor. He was honest and transparent always treating those around him with respect. He will live on through the hearts of all those who were lucky enough to have been helped, guided and cared for by him."

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