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Manuel "Meño/ Peta" Contreras Zavalza
1932 - 2023

On the morning of August 20, 2023 at 9:11am at his home in Fresno, Ca Manuel passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. He was 90 years old.

Manuel C. Zavalza was born on December 17, 1932 in Ayutla in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. He was the firstborn to Maria de la Luz and Jose Elias Nava Zavalza. As a teenager after World War II Circa 1948 Manuel immigrated to the United States where he began working in the city waste management. He then returned to Mexico to marry his sweetheart, Mercedes, then in 1959 moved with her to Chicago, Ill. where their eldest three daughters were born supporting his family working at a steel production company. In 1964, in hopes of warmer weather he relocated his family to Los Angeles, Ca. where their additional four children were born and in 1982 they came to live in Fresno, Ca.

Manuel was a hardworking man who enjoyed carpentry, having made some of the families own furniture using skills he learned through employment, often working long hours at work as well as at home supporting and caring for his family. Having seven children Manuel quickly became the disciplinarian of the home, while still, encouraging sports in his children and grandchildren In particular Soccer/ Futbol. His generosity towards his children continued later in life, with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was always sure to have enough money in his pocket to pass out to his grandchildren. Manuel liked taking his family on trips in his camper truck to Mexico, Disneyland and Yosemite.

He enjoyed the outdoors hunting for deer, deep sea fishing, or just playing dominoes while picnicking with friends and family. Manuel also took initiative in volunteering with local food pantries by getting food donations from local distribution warehouse companies like Bimbo Bakeries USA and Wawona Frozen foods.

Manuel was an avid watcher of the game of futbol especially when Las Chivas of Guadalajara would play and liked to be involved often rooting with his matraca noise maker for the collegiate team from Pacific University where he lived nearby taking the players waters and Gatorade on his motor scooter. When his health prohibited him from getting around, he would host watch parties for boxing or as he'd call it "Las Peleas" and in later years he became a huge Canelo Alvarez fan, not missing any of his fights. Manuel liked the excitement of games and the sounds of people cheering and rooting, sounds that often rocked him to sleep on his recliner like a beautiful lullaby.

Manuel was preceded in death by: wife Mercedes F. Zavalza, firstborn Hector Elias Zavalza, father Jose Elias Nava Zavalza, mother Maria de la Luz Zavalza and sister Maria de Jesus Garcia.

Manuel's memory will continue on by family and friends including his 7 surviving children: Leticia, Lilia, Linda, Manuel, Miguel, Araceli, Hector, his 17 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

We will miss you Manuel/ Apa/ Ito.
You will always be in our hearts.

Eternal rest, grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace. Amen.