Compiled and written by David R. Schleper, 2020

Manuel “Manny” Lee Florez was born in Shakopee on May 1, 1938. He was the son of Bernard and Elizabeth (Weldon) Vig. His three sisters, Elizabeth, Darlene, and Doris, and his brother, John, lived with him in a house near Sand Pit Road in Shakopee.

Manny attended St. Mary’s School, and he served as an altar boy. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Altar Boys’ Society.

His friend, Nancy Metcalf Schmit, was with Manuel, as they were at recess. It was in 1951. Manny was in the eighth grade. While on the playground, Manuel fell and skinned his knee. He had to go to the hospital. Doctors discovered that Manny was the victim of bone cancer, and by January 1952, one of his legs was amputated after a serious infection in an effort to prolong his life.

Despite his surgery, Manuel remained cheerful and hopeful of recovery. He wanted to go back to participating in the Boy Scout troop in Shakopee. He was a model pupil, with an absorbing interest in schoolwork. At one point, Manuel gave a girl from St. Mary’s a locket, with a piece of hair in it. The girl held onto the locket and kept it for years and years.

Manny had to leave eighth grade when the illness forced him to leave St. Mary’s School. Despite his suffering, Manny looked forward to continuing his studies when his health permitted.

Manny’s illness lasted for ten months.

Nancy and four of her friends went to visit Manny at his home. The home was an old brick house, red in color.

When they arrived, Nancy asked if they could see Manny. She was told that he was in the room on the second floor.

As they crept up the stairs, Nancy and her four friends looked in the room. They looked in the bedroom. Manny looked like an old man, sitting on a chair by the window. As they headed back down to the first floor, Nancy was ready to ask where Manny was. But then it hit her. The old man in the window was Manny, slowly fading away.

On a Saturday morning in November 1952, Manuel Lee Florez died.

Manny had a funeral at St. Mary’s Church. Father Henry Byrne sang the requiem mass. Father Donald Salt and Father John Flaherty were present in the sanctuary.

Pallbearers, who were school mates, included Dallas Peter Capesius, Richard Wampach, George Schmitt, John Vierling, Thomas Hovorka, and William Ries.

Six Shakopee boy scouts served as honorary pallbearers.

The burial of Manuel Lee Florez was at St. Mary’s Cemetery, now called the Shakopee Catholic Cemetery.