The Reverend Manuel Ortega

HEYBURN – Manuel Rudy Ortega, a 93-year-old Heyburn resident, passed away Tuesday, January 2, 2018, at Parke View Rehabilitation & Care in Burley.

Manuel was born April 27, 1924, in Rio Grande County, Colorado. He was the sixth of 12 children born to Manuel and Genoveva Martinez Ortega. When Manuel was in the fourth grade, his father died. Although Manuel had a great love for learning, he was required to leave his schooling to help support his family.

Manuel married Elsie Lucenda Martinez on Nov. 15, 1943, in Capulin, Colorado. Together, they had four children, Robert “Bob” G. Ortega (Jane) of Eden, Ruth Tundag of Rupert, Virginia Pollard (Les) of Nampa, and Andy Ortega (Kris) of Ennis, Montana. They also have 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Although Manuel never earned a college degree, he made up for it in many other ways. He was rich in common sense and especially gifted with his hands in welding and fabrication. Manuel and Elsie came to Idaho in 1954, where they have lived since. Manuel worked for Dean Garner on the farm. He later worked as a body man for Claud Bowman’s Body Shop. He then worked for Lockwood as a service man for ten years. In the meantime, he and his sons started their own side business of assembling and fabricating Star tables for potato harvesters and other farm equipment. In 1977, Manuel finally started his own irrigation business with his sons. Later, in 1996, he sold his business to his sons.

Manuel’s real love and passion was in answering God’s call to pioneer churches for the Hispanic community. At the time Manuel and Elsie moved to Rupert, there were no churches that ministered to the Hispanic community. In 1962, Manuel started the first Spanish-speaking church under the Assemblies of God denomination. Later, he pioneered two other Assembly of God churches in Rupert and Burley. He was a licensed, lifetime honorary retired minister of the Assemblies of God. His greatest accomplishment, however, was teaching his children the value of working hard, being honest, and to love and serve God.

He was preceded in death by five brothers; four sisters; his parents; and son-in-law, Richard Tundag; and one grandson, Justin L. Ortega.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 6, 2018, at Grace Community Church, 100 N. Meridian Rd., in Rupert, where a viewing will be held beginning at 12:30 p.m. prior to the service. The Reverend Doyle Fulkes will officiate. Burial will follow at Rupert Cemetery under the care of the Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.

Manuel’s family would like to express their appreciation to the staff at Parke View Rehabilitation & Care Center. They have cared so faithfully for Dad’s needs in ways that cannot be put into words.