Stephen was suddenly and unexpectedly called home. He gained his Angel Wings on May 15, 2021. He was born on June 7, 1955 to Manuel and Theodora Manzanares in Price, Utah. Stephen loved his hometown, which is where he chose to live for the rest of his life. He was proud to be born the last of 12 children and he told anyone who would listen to him about it.
He met his lifelong sweetheart in high school. His one and only true love, Terri Gutierrez. They got married 3 months after graduation and they were forever inseparable ever since. Stephen’s love for his wife and children went above and beyond. He remained extremely close to his children even after they became adults and grandchildren came along. He also loved his son-in-law as his own. His son-in-law never refused to help him on some project or another. He’d always say he had the best. Stephen had such a love for the great outdoors. He loved hunting, fishing, camping, and riding his side by side. You could always find him and Terri on some old dirt road somewhere. They raised their children and grandchildren to love the mountains also. He used to always say that a dirt road was God’s Country.
Stephen’s gift of gab was amazing. He could strike up a comfortable conversation with literally anybody he met and it would seem as though he knew that person for years. Throughout the years, that amazing gift of gab got him some pretty darn good deals on a lot of things that he wanted because he used to love to wheel and deal. It was an everyday enjoyment of his. He always got so excited when he got a good deal on this or that.
One of Stephen’s many passions was his unique vehicles. As soon as he got one, he would say that he had to “fix it up.” It started in high school and never ended. Over the years, he just continued to collect and “fix up.” One thing was for sure.. He absolutely had to have his trucks lifted with big tires. He said that he had to “be different.” Back in the late 1970’s, he was the first one in Carbon/Emery County ever to have a lifted truck with big tires and a roll bar. He was so proud of that title. People were always telling him that he was a legend.
Back in the day, Stephen started a car club called the C.C. Rider’s Car Club (Carbon County Riders). He would organize and put on many local car shows for the community.
Stephen worked in the coal industry for many years. Afterward, he journeyed on to his next passion, which was fencing. He started his own fencing company and called it Castle Country Fencing. He was very proud to be able to do a fabulous job for the community over the course of 45 years. He was also extremely proud to have taught his son Brandon and his grandson, also named Stephen, everything he knew about the fencing industry. Hi company, Castle Country Fencing, will continue to thrive because his grandson Stephen is proud to be taking it over.
Stephen is survived by his wife and eternal sweetheart Terri, three daughters Stephanie (Stephen) Coleman, Barbie Manzanares, Katrina Porter, and one son Brandon (Cherelle) Manzanares. He is also survived by nine grandchildren: Brittanie Coleman, BreyAnna Coleman, Stephen (Shy) Coleman, Breyndan Porter, Chandler Porter, Taysen Manzanares, Channing Manzanares, Knox Manzanares, Emree Manzanares. He was expecting his first great-grandson Sebastian Coleman in July. Preceded in death by his parents, one brother and three sisters.
A Holy “Celebration of Life” Mass will be held at the Notre Dame Parish in Price, Utah on Friday, June 4, 2021 at 12:00 Noon. No burial services at this time.
The family would like to express our sincere gratitude and thank each and everyone of you for your outpouring of love shown to us during the loss of our Stephen, Our Rock, Our Everything!