Obituary for Manuel "Manny" Garcia
Beloved Manuel “Manny” Garcia, of Champaign, Illinois, passed away on March 15th 2022 at his home in Champaign, Illinois with his family by his side after a tough fought battle against pancreatic cancer.
Manuel “Manny” was born in Blue Island, Illinois to Romelia and Domingo Garcia on April 23, 1972. He attended St. Anthony Catholic Grade School, St. Francis De Sales High School, both in Chicago. He then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Masters in Vocational Rehabilitation at Northern Illinois University. He worked at the University of Illinois in Undergraduate Admissions, and later as the Director of the Visitor’s Center at UIUC. He also served at the Illinois Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and as an Operations Manager for ServiceMaster. He was a well-loved volunteer coach at the YMCA, Holy Cross Elementary School, St. Matthew Catholic School, and Wildcats Travel Basketball. His love for coaching his children also led him to serve as “team mom” for his daughter’s PrimeTime Volleyball team. And when he wasn’t coaching, he was the most dedicated fan to his beloved Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, and the Fighting Illini. He was a long-time parishioner at Holy Cross Catholic Church, and for the past several years a parishioner at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Most importantly, for the past 25 years he was a beloved husband to his wife, Adriana Garcia, his college sweetheart and a devoted father to his four children, Amarissa, Samuel, Christian and Chloe.
Manny is preceded in death by his mother Romelia Garcia, his sister Luz Maria Gonzalez, and his brother Miguel Garcia. He is survived by his wife Adriana Garcia and their four children, Amarissa “Cissa”, Samuel, Christian, and Chloe, his father Domingo, brothers Domingo Jr. (Jenny) and Armando Garcia, sisters-in-law Julie Griffin and Celia Cooley (Michael), his nieces and nephews: Lizette Juan (Luis), Pilar Gonzalez, Amanda Garcia, Alex Griffin, AJ Garcia, Andrew Garcia, Gabriel Garcia, Luke Garcia, Eva Cooley and Griffin Cooley and his great-nieces and nephews, Luis Juan, Noel Juan and Luzirene Juan.
Visitation will be from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Friday, March 18, 2022 at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home, 15525 73rd Ave. (155th/Wheeler Dr. & Harlem), Orland Park, IL.
Private burial services will be held at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, Alsip, IL.
Memorials may be given to St. Matthew Catholic Church, 1303 Lincolnshire Dr., Champaign, IL 61821.
Express your thoughts and condolences at colonialchapel.com 708-532-5400
Manuel “Manny” was born in Blue Island, Illinois to Romelia and Domingo Garcia on April 23, 1972. He attended St. Anthony Catholic Grade School, St. Francis De Sales High School, both in Chicago. He then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Masters in Vocational Rehabilitation at Northern Illinois University. He worked at the University of Illinois in Undergraduate Admissions, and later as the Director of the Visitor’s Center at UIUC. He also served at the Illinois Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and as an Operations Manager for ServiceMaster. He was a well-loved volunteer coach at the YMCA, Holy Cross Elementary School, St. Matthew Catholic School, and Wildcats Travel Basketball. His love for coaching his children also led him to serve as “team mom” for his daughter’s PrimeTime Volleyball team. And when he wasn’t coaching, he was the most dedicated fan to his beloved Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, and the Fighting Illini. He was a long-time parishioner at Holy Cross Catholic Church, and for the past several years a parishioner at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Most importantly, for the past 25 years he was a beloved husband to his wife, Adriana Garcia, his college sweetheart and a devoted father to his four children, Amarissa, Samuel, Christian and Chloe.
Manny is preceded in death by his mother Romelia Garcia, his sister Luz Maria Gonzalez, and his brother Miguel Garcia. He is survived by his wife Adriana Garcia and their four children, Amarissa “Cissa”, Samuel, Christian, and Chloe, his father Domingo, brothers Domingo Jr. (Jenny) and Armando Garcia, sisters-in-law Julie Griffin and Celia Cooley (Michael), his nieces and nephews: Lizette Juan (Luis), Pilar Gonzalez, Amanda Garcia, Alex Griffin, AJ Garcia, Andrew Garcia, Gabriel Garcia, Luke Garcia, Eva Cooley and Griffin Cooley and his great-nieces and nephews, Luis Juan, Noel Juan and Luzirene Juan.
Visitation will be from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Friday, March 18, 2022 at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home, 15525 73rd Ave. (155th/Wheeler Dr. & Harlem), Orland Park, IL.
Private burial services will be held at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, Alsip, IL.
Memorials may be given to St. Matthew Catholic Church, 1303 Lincolnshire Dr., Champaign, IL 61821.
Express your thoughts and condolences at colonialchapel.com 708-532-5400