Manuela “Manny” Cantu, 67, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, joined the angels on September 17, 2026. Born on February 4, 1959, in Berlin, Germany, to Jose and Helga Cantu, Manuela was the oldest of five children.
After a successful early career as a hairdresser, Manuela followed a new passion into education. She graduated from the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo in the fall of 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree, later earning her master’s degree in April of 2006.
Dedicated to shaping young minds, she taught kindergarten at Abrams Elementary for 23 years. Her classroom was a second home, where hundreds of students learned not just reading and writing, but kindness and resilience. Guided by a deep belief that every child deserved an excellent teacher, a safe classroom, and the opportunity to succeed, she constantly encouraged her students to always do their best and reach their full potential.
Manuela was a warrior in every sense of the word, facing life and health challenges with unwavering strength and determination. Her absolute favorite pastime was shopping and spending quality time with her nieces and nephews. She especially cherished bringing moon pies and crafting projects to her beloved great-nieces and great-nephews. Her absence leaves a huge void, but her spirit lives on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her mother, Helga Cantu; her siblings, Grace Larimer, Richard Cantu, Mike Cantu, and Antonio Cantu; her nieces, Alecia Villarreal and Olivia Cantu and her nephew, Cole Cantu, her great nieces, Kabrie Cantu and Riley Villarreal and great nephews, Micah Villarreal and James Cantu. She was preceded in death by her father, Jose Cantu.
A graveside burial service will be held on Friday, October 2nd, 1:30 pm at Evergreen Cemetery, located at 1005 Hancock Expy, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Carpool if possible. After entering the cemetery, make an immediate left to the parking lot right by the office. There is also a parking lot across from the office. Walk through the gate behind the office to the grave site. Reception to follow at Hillside Community Center, 925 S Institute St.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Manuela’s memory to give.kidneyfund.org or https://bristolfoundation.org/donation-page/.
I worked with Manny at Abrams from 2019-2022, and my final year I was lucky enough to be next door to her. Manny always made me laugh, was not afraid to say what was on her mind, and was such a kind person. She loved teaching and loved all her students so much. She was such a great friend to me and continued to be, even after we were no longer coworkers. She will be deeply missed. I’m so thankful and lucky she was a part of my life.
Manny was an inspiration to so many. Your beautiful presence will be missed. God just got another angel in heaven. To your family, know she was truly loved by so many
I feel incredibly lucky to have known Manny and to have called her a friend. We worked together at Abrams, and from the very beginning she made me feel welcomed, supported, and cared for. She had such a warmth about her, along with a wonderful sense of humor and a way of making the people around her feel comfortable just being themselves.
Manny cared so deeply about her students and the people in her life, and her kindness made a lasting impression on me. I have so many warm memories of our time working together, and I will always be grateful for that time.
She was truly one of a kind, and I will miss her very much. Sending all my love to her family and everyone who loved her.