Obituary of Manuel P. Guerrero

May 31, 1935 - January 7, 2014 Manuel was born in Marion, Indiana to Niceforo (Nick) and Francesca Guerrero. He was the third oldest of nine children and grew up in a four room house. The first in his family to attend college; he attended the University of Notre Dame on a baseball scholarship and graduated from Franklin College, after interrupting school for two years of service in the U.S. Army. He received a law degree from the University of Indiana - Indianapolis and an L.L.M. from Georgetown University. He practiced law in Marion, Indiana for two years before he was elected a circuit court judge in Grant County at age 29. He served six years as a judge, leaving the bench for an unsuccessful run for U.S. Congress as a Democrat. In 1973, he accepted a teaching position at the University of Minnesota and taught criminal law, criminal procedure and juvenile justice. He became Chair of the Chicano Studies Department, where he taught until 1978. After receiving a Bush Fellowship, he returned to the practice of law with his two brothers in Marion and Phoenix, Arizona. He returned to practice law in St. Paul in 1990 to teach at the U of M, where he was the Director of the Chicano Latino Resource Center. He practiced criminal law; representing mostly Latino clients throughout the state and was one of the founders and the first President of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association. Because of his teaching and mentorship , there are very few Hispanic lawyers and community leaders in Minnesota who did not benefit from their relationship with Manuel. Manuel was awarded the Ramsey County Bar Association's Excellence in Diversity Award and the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association's Courage in Leadership and Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was very proud of practicing law for 50 years. Manuel loved St. Paul, its people, and his Cathedral Hill neighborhood. He also loved the good things in life. He is survived by his wife, Elaine Vargo; former wife, Patricia Guerrero and their six children, Dan, Mike, Ann Gilligan (Thom), Todd (Mary), Chad, and Clare "Angie" Vivier (Thierry); his stepson, Wes Peterson (Rebekah); and his grandchildren, Meagon DePoy-Orr (Adam), Heather Cook (Dan), Ted Guerrero, Frannie Gilligan, Sophie Gilligan, Nick Guerrero, Paddy Gilligan, Will Guerrero, Simon Vivier and Oscar Vivier. He is also survived by his sister, Arabelle Kriegbaum and his brothers, Nick (Cindy), Pete (Judy), Tito and Rich (Barb); great-grandchildren, Mia and Vivian, and many friends. He is predeceased by his parents, brothers, Mitch and Bob, and his sister Mary Solis. Manuel loved his family immensely, and they loved him. He will be gravely missed. Visitation at Willwerscheid Funeral Home, 1167 Grand Ave., St. Paul 3-6 PM Friday followed by a Memorial Service at 6:00 p.m.