Manuel (“Manny”) Yanes-Vidal of Bedford, N.H., a former longtime resident of Vernon, N.J., passed away peacefully early in the morning on the first day of spring, March 20, 2021, at Villa Crest Nursing Center in Manchester, N.H. He was 88.
He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 4, 1932, to the late Manuel A. and Aura (Vidal) Yanes.
Manny attended the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. While residing in Ohio, he also was a pitcher in the minor leagues for Detroit Tigers until an unfortunate shoulder injury. He followed in the path of his uncle, Juan Antonio Yanes, who is in the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame.
After college, he moved to Puerto Rico to open his civil engineering business following his passion for flying. He was hired with Eastern Airlines in 1966, soon became a captain, and type rated on all of the EA fleet.
Manny loved skiing. His favorite place was Alta, Utah. He loved his Harley Davidson, and was a tennis pro and ski instructor.
Manny always had a wonderful sense of humor that bought joy to all who were blessed to know him. He was a strong independent man, was the life of the party, had many close friends and neighbors, and was loved by all. “Keep On Truckin’” was one of his favorite saying,s and he also had a love for chocolates.
Along with his parents, Manny was pre-deceased by a sister, Muneca Yanes, and by his sister Jeannette’s partner, Carlos Lube.
Manny will be forever loved and remembered by his children, Suzy Santay and her two daughters, Melissa and Michele, Mickey Yanes and his wife, Diana, and their three children, Preston, Nyla, and River, Leslie Colucci and her husband, Nick, and their two children, Nicholas and Erica, and Michele Yanes; a sister, Jeannette Yanes; along with nieces and nephews, Raymond and his wife, Julie, and their son, Jonathan, Muneca, Ricardo, and Orlando.
There are no services being held at this time.
Arrangements were made by Rivet Funeral Home and Crematorium in Merrimack, N.H.