Stella Manzanares of Rio Rancho, age 92; It is with great sadness and broken hearts that our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2020.

Stella was the matriarch of the Manzanares family and the glue that kept us together with a constant reassurance that she was praying for all of us on a daily basis.

Stella was an active and devoted parishioner at St Thomas Aquinas. She sang in the Spanish and Bereavement Choirs; assisted the parish staff on Monday’s with the counting of Sunday donations; Member of Altar & Rosary Society, past president for four years and morning coordinator of rosary’s prayed for the deceased; Member of Rosary Makers and lead many of the Chaplets for the Divine Mercy. She was dearly loved and will be terribly missed by all whose lives she had impacted so deeply.  A special thank you to her dear friend Cecilia Lopez who called her daily with love and words of encouragement during this pandemic.      

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hipolito and Secundina, stepfather Ignacio, sister Nila, brother Louie, and half-brother Victor.  She was also preceded in death by her husband of 73 years Toby Manzanares, sons Melvin, Paul and Larry, grandchildren little Paul, little Larry and Maria.  She is survived by daughters Florence Perea, Suzanne Kinart, and Patricia (Patty) Romero; sons Bob (and wife Liz), David, Mark (and wife Taylor); 23 grandchildren, countless great and great-great grandchildren as well as numerous other family members.