Manuel "Manny" Litwak

Manuel “Manny” Litwak passed away peacefully in his home on December 12, 2022 at age 84. Born on May 10, 1938, Manny was the only son of immigrants Gertrude and Harry Litwak. He grew up in the Bronx speaking Yiddish. He received his BS in Engineering from City College of New York and continued his education at NYU, where he received his Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. Manny worked for IBM in Poughkeepsie for 29 years. An office job wasn’t his thing and he continued to pursue other passions. He received his PhD in Philosophy while exploring his own spirituality. Shortly after, he fell in love and married Suzanne Tarazi. Upon her death, he moved to Virginia with Suzanne’s son, Jason, and worked as a mental health counselor. While living in Virginia, Manny was fortunate to meet his wife Denise, who remained his best friend until the end of his life. Together with Denise’s son, Matthew, they moved to Oregon where he continued working in the helping profession. He loved the easygoing lifestyle of Oregon. Eventually, he started to travel and used his skills to counsel families at military bases in Germany and Japan. He counseled Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and volunteered for the Red Cross, visiting numerous disaster sites, including Ground Zero. Manny was a proud black belt in Tae Kwon Do and studied Tai Chi. He was a lifelong learner and was always surrounded by piles of books and legal pads, where he took copious notes. He had a passion for Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism. He also enjoyed gardening, painting landscapes, and fusing glass. He loved the company of his faithful companions, Scruffy and Bernie. Manny was very proud of his autobiography that he was hoping to publish so he could share the story of his life. Manny is survived by his best friend, Denise Teixeira; his children, Greg (Loretta) Litwak, Howard (Stacy) Litwak, and Sharon (Keith) Aibel; as well as stepchildren Jason Tarazi and Matthew Teixeira. Manny was blessed with many grandchildren on the East and West Coasts. Celebration of Manny’s life and spreading of ashes will be planned at the convenience of his family. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity that is special to you or simply spread kindness to your neighbors and animals.

Tributes

Manuel "Manny" Litwak

May 10, 1938 - December 12, 2022