Leticia De Guzman Manuel

February 14, 1945 - April 12, 2022

Leticia Abalos DeGuzman Manuel, age 77, passed away peacefully after a long and courageous battle with illness on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at NorthBay Medical Center. Lettie was born on Feb. 14, 1945, in Calasiao, Pangasinan, Philippines, a daughter to Pedro and Maura Abalos DeGuzman. Leticia earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Pangasinan State University, Bayambang Campus and instructed English before marrying the love of her life, Federico on July 26, 1970. While oceans apart, theirs was a love story, falling in love while writing love letters to one another. Months after their marriage, they reunited in the United States to begin a family. A proud military wife, she accompanied Federico to U.S. Coast Guard duty assignments in Boston, Massachusetts, Kodiak, Alaska, Alameda and San Francisco, California before settling in Fairfield, California. Leticia will always be remembered for her unselfish nature, easy-going personality, great sense of humor, and unconditional love for family and friends. She was an incredible woman, loving and devoted wife, caring mother, doting grandmother, and loyal friend who found happiness in the simple things in life such as raising her children, babysitting and tutoring her grandchildren, playing the guitar and harmonica, singing, fishing, gardening, cooking Filipino dishes and staying active in the Fairfield community. She was a parishioner of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and member of several groups including the (Lady) Knights of Columbus, the Disciples of Jesus, Santo Nino Society, US Coast Guard Fil-Am Association, and NorCal Bay Area Filipino communities. She was a devout Catholic who traveled to religious sites around the world including Jerusalem, Međugorje and the Vatican City. She lived by the saying, 'the most precious gift you can give to those you love is to pray for them.' Leticia will be dearly missed by family, all those who knew and loved her, including her extensive family all over the world. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Federico D. Manuel; four children, Madeline (Edward) Bides, Alexander (Christiane) Manuel, Frederick (Sharmaine) Manuel, Jason (Erika) Manuel; 13 grandchildren, Zachary (Sandrine), Andrew, Ariana, Sophia, Christian, Anthony, Gabriela, Liam, Jenessa, Ethan, Juleon, Amelia and Mateo.