Pendleton, Oregon - Manuel Francisco Soliz, 52, passed away peacefully at his home on Friday, February 6th, 2026, in the loving care of his mother, Ruthie Baker, after he lost his second battle of cancer. He was born in LA County, CA, on March 28th, 1973, as Lee's first child. Manuel, his 3 siblings, and his mother moved to Pendleton in 1979, where he would spend the rest of his life. He attended Pendleton High School, where he met his first love, Amanda Wildman, on Valentine's Day in 1990. Manuel completed his GED in 1992 to pursue work and a career. He started as a dishwasher at St. Anthony's but worked his way through training programs and certifications to become a pharmacy technician. He worked at the hospital for 31 years and was very dedicated to his job.

Manuel and Amanda were married on Valentine's Day in 1996, and their first born, Mirissa, was born May 1996. They had two more children, Amber in May 1998 and Rave in February 2001. Manuel and Amanda separated in 2005, and they made the divorce official in 2007. Manuel had a brief relationship with Ella Rodriguez, and Samantha was born in May 2010. He was a wonderful single father, and he dedicated any time he was not working to his children. In May of 2018, Manuel became a grandfather after the birth of Mirissa's child, Oliver. He loved being a grandpa, and spending time with his grandson became his favorite pastime. He also enjoyed golf, poker, fishing, gaming, and he was a lifelong Los Angeles Rams fan.

In 2021, he was diagnosed with cancer in his throat that branched down to his shoulder and up to his nose. He completed chemo and radiation and seemed to be on the mend. He retired from St. Anthonys in 2023, and with his newly acquired free time, he got into magnet fishing, collecting G.I. Joes, camping, shooting guns, and riding his electric scooter. In November of 2025, Manuel became sick again, this time with cancer in his lungs and liver. He was a true BMF until the very end.

Manuel is survived by his four children: Mirissa Soliz, Amber Soliz, Raven Soliz, and Samantha Soliz of Pendleton, Oregon; his mother, Ruthie Baker; and two of his siblings, Antonio Soliz and Nina Soliz of Pendleton, Oregon; his grandson, Oliver Declue of Pendleton, Oregon; and his lifelong friend, Elis Wilson, also of Pendleton, Oregon. Manuel is preceded in death by his little sister, Sissie Soliz.