Roberto Manriquez

Roberto Tozzi Manriquez, 55, passed away on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at his home in Grand Prairie after a year and a half long battle with pancreatic cancer. Funeral: 10:00 a.m. Thursday, April 27, at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Parish, 1927 SW Green Oaks Blvd, Arlington with Father Daniel Kelley officiating. Interment: 2:30 p.m., Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas. Visitation: 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Parkway, Arlington. Memorials: Memorial gifts may be made to the American Diabetes Association or a charity of your choice. Roberto was born on March 21, 1962 in Porto Alegre, Brazil to Roberto Manriquez and Ilda Tozzi Manriquez. He moved to the Dallas area with his family in 1968 where he attended Holy Trinity Catholic School and Jesuit College Preparatory School from 1976-1980. During high school, he played soccer on both the JV and Varsity teams. He served his community by volunteering at the Town North YMCA and various other organizations. After high school, Robert graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington where he earned a BS in Aerospace Engineering in 1985. He began his dream of working with planes, like his father, at LTV in Grand Prairie upon graduation. In 1989, he began his career with Lockheed Martin in California working on the Trident II missile. In 1990, he was called upon to take part in a project to redesign the Space Shuttle's Advanced Solid Rocket Motors (ASRM) in Iuka, MS. He returned to Fort Worth to work on the F-16 Fighting Falcon in 1993. Four year later, Robert returned to Grand Prairie to work at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. He enjoyed a distinguished career of 28 years with Lockheed Martin where he made many friends. Roberto married Shelly Hale in 1990 and the couple have three children together. Roberto was active with Arlington Soccer Association (ASA) as both an adult player and youth coach for each of his three children's teams. He was also an avid golfer and cyclist, most recently riding in the Tour de Cure for Diabetes before he was diagnosed with cancer. His greatest joy in life was spending time with his family. He loved to travel and show his children places they had never been and introduce them to things they had never done. His family and friends will always remember him as a loyal and caring man, who was dedicated to his faith and family. He was preceded in death by his father, Roberto Manriquez of Dallas. Survivors: Wife of 28 years, Shelly Manqriquez; and their three children, Samantha Manriquez, Robin Manriquez and Marcus Manriquez; all of Grand Prairie; mother, Ilda Manriquez of Dallas; brother, Rick Manriquez and wife, Jane Rita of Plano; nieces, Tiffany, Meghan, and Kate Manriquez of Plano; and Jame Walston Reason of Sherman; aunt, Rosa Tozzi Missel; cousins, Simoni Missel and husband, Claudio D'Amico, Sinara Missel, and Regis Missel; all of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Wade Family Funeral Home (817) 274-9233