MR. BENIGNO A. (BENNIE) MANZANARES,
passed away peacefully after suffering from a long term illness. Bennie was born July 28, 1915 in Capulin, N.M. to Maximiño Manzanares and Rosana Suazo Manzanares. Raised just west of Abiquiu in Los Silvestress, Bennie, his parents and siblings worked their small farm and ranch. He was the first person in his family to attend and complete college and he believed in the importance of education. He obtained a Masters Degree in education from New Mexico Highlands University in 1962. He taught school in various communities in Rio Arriba County for nearly 40 years and his final 26 years in the profession with the Chama Valley Schools. He enjoyed his profession greatly and took pride in seeing his students challenging themselves and succeeding. While in Chama, Bennie was a Charter member of the Knights of Columbus, Santo Niño Council. He was the first clerk and treasurer of the village of Chama. During his tenure with the village, he was one of the several members of village government who were able to procure an FHA loan to create the Village Water System. This was the first such loan to be awarded to any municipality in the USA. In his retired years, he lived in Española, where he served as president of the Española chapter of the Retired Teachers Association. Bennie enjoyed the outdoors, especially fishing, hunting and gardening. It seemed that he always has a creel full of trout and he always had an impeccably manicured yard. He was creative, informed, artistic and very committed to doing his best at everything that he did. More than anything, he loved his family. He was loving, supportive and encouraging; yet firm and principled. He was a loving, caring husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. He will be dearly missed. Bennie was preceded in death by his mother, Rosana; father, Maximiño; infant daughter, Clara Jean; brothers, Joe Manns, Morris and Max Manzanares; sisters, Mary Flores, Beatrice Vigil and Alice Miller. He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Ofelia; children, Mary Jane Manzanares and George Vigil of La Puebla, Henrietta Riddiford and husband Matthew of The Woodlands, Texas and Robert Manzanares and wife Nancy of Española; grandsons, David, Patrick and Michael Manzanares of Española and Aaron Riddiford of The Woodlands; brother, Herman Manzanares of Abiquiu; sisters, Sally Williams of Glendale, Arizona and Lita Herbert of Denver, CO and many nieces, nephews, friends and former students. He is also survived by a very loving and devoted team of people who helped to care for him to his final days: Maria de la Riva, Elva Hernandez, Josefina Mata and Veronica Sanchez. The family has planned for cremation. A rosary was recited on Friday, May 1, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Peace of DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory. Memorial mass was celebrated on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Chimayo. Burial followed at the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Santa Cruz. The Manzanares family has entrusted their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-747-7477 or www.devargasfuneral.com