April 9, 1938 – December 28, 2018
It is with great grief that the family of Manuel Rosa Freitas of Watsonville announces his passing. Manuel passed away on Friday, December 28, 2018 at the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital.
Manuel was preceded in death by his parents, John and Maria Freitas and his only brother, Joe Freitas.
Manuel is survived by his wife, Josefina Emilia Freitas; two sons, James and Larry Freitas; two granddaughters, Lauren and Tera Freitas; his sister-in-law, Mary Freitas; and his goddaughter (niece), Shirley Freitas Nunes (John Nunes).
Manuel, whose given name was Manuel da Rosa de Freitas, was born in Cedros, Faial, Azores in 1938 and immigrated to the US in June of 1959. He married Josefina in Rhode Island on February 27, 1960 and the two journeyed across the country together by car and settled in Watsonville in 1961. In September of 1965 Manuel began working for Phillips Petroleum Company where he worked his way up to becoming a supervisor and retired at the age of 55 in January of 1994.
Manuel enjoyed his retirement living on his 20-acre ranch tending to his animals, harvesting his grapes with friends to produce wine, helping raise his granddaughters, and traveling to the Azores as frequently as possible.
A rosary and mass will be held at Valley Catholic Church on Monday, January 14, 2019 at 10 am. Burial to follow at Valley Public Cemetery. A reception will be held at the ISTW Portuguese Community Center after services. Mehl’s Colonial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.
