Roll Call Tribute

The oldest of seven children, Manuel Isabel Cruz was born in Laredo, Texas on January 15, 1947 and passed away January 30, 2020 at the age of 73. He was the son of Maria Luisa and Manuel Avila Cruz, a World War II Army survivor of the Philippine Bataan Death March and of the coal mines of Osaka, Japan as a prisoner of war.

While growing up in Laredo, Manuel served as an altar boy at Mother Cabrini Catholic Church and was a dedicated student of science and mathematics. A product of Laredo schools, he attended Mary Help of Christians School, Leyendecker Elementary School, Christen Junior High School, and Martin High School, Class of 1964. He avidly participated in science fairs and after witnessing the launch of the Mercury Friendship 7 spacecraft, it was his dream to participate in the space program.

He attended Texas A&M University where he started in 1964 as a member of the Corps of Cadets and majored in Aerospace Engineering. Manuel graduated with honors and completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees in 4.5 years. He did not pursue his Doctorate degree at this time, but left Texas A&M to join TRW Systems Group in Houston, Texas to participate in the NASA Apollo Program to land men on the moon. In 1976, while working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, he worked on his doctoral degree at UCLA.

Manuel worked with TRW Systems Group in Houston and in Redondo Beach, California focusing on systems studies including development of the Apollo missions and on systems development for the Minuteman and Peacekeeper Programs. He worked with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena managing space program development activities in support of the NASA/JPL Solar System Exploration Program with major emphasis on the Mars Sample Return. As an expert on Deep Space Missions, he prepared numerous technical papers for publication. Manuel partially retired in 1998 and continued providing consulting services on planetary programs. He later retired and moved to Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico.

He frequently attended and presented at technical conferences, and when possible, his family would accompany him. In 1984 his family walked through out the Smithsonian Museums and learned about government agencies and monuments in Washington D.C. In 1985, they toured Europe as a family, alternatively staying in hotels and camping, as they experienced many cultures, arts and historic sites. Other family trips included camping in the national parks, Canada and Baja California.

Manuel leaves a host of family and friends, including his wife Adaline Cruz, three adult children, Maria Isabelle, Manuel Nicholas and Erminda Cruz; as well as sisters and brother, Rosa Elia Saucedo, Leticia Cruz, Maria Yolanda McElyea, Lili Cruz, Roy Ward Cruz, and Maria Guadalupe Hammonds; and his long time Aggie friend and brother-in-law Rodolfo Saucedo. He is also survived by additional family and friends.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Holy Cross Cemetery and Mortuary, 5835 West Slauson Ave., Culver City, California 90230, phone: (310) 836-5500. The Funeral Liturgy will be from 11:30 am to 1:00pm on Monday, February 10, 2020. The Rite of Committal will be conducted at 1:00 pm.