Manuel “Monty” Rocha, a devoted husband of 63 years and father of 3,  was known as a responsible, hardworking, and content family man.  He was a man of integrity who kept his word and a father figure to many. He continually accepted others from all walks of life and his jovial manner tended to put people at ease.  He loved his children, never missed any of their sporting events, and loved to hear them sing.

Monty was the fourth oldest in a family of fifteen children.  He grew up on a working family farm and ranch in Kemp, Texas.  There, they raised cows, pigs, horses, goats, chickens, turkeys, and picked cotton on both their farm and other locations in east Texas.  He took up boxing as a boy and competed in Royce City.  Monty barely attended school due to his farm work, but eventually obtained his GED.  Whatever he lacked in academics, he made up for in wisdom and street smarts… except for the time he and his brother attempted to transport a small horse in the back of a car.  Monty always said, “it was fine ‘till the horse decided to stand up.”

Monty left home at the age of 16 to seek work in Tyler.  After 31 years, he retired from Kelley Springfield Tire Company, where he had been known as “Bunny” because of how fast and hard he worked.  There, he was well-liked by his co-workers.  Being a strong and powerful man, he was known to break up fights at work, and once saved a co-worker who fell from scaffolding by holding him by the arm until others could come to his rescue.

Monty was plainspoken, giving everyone nicknames and developing lots of “dad sayings,” such as “keep both eyes open,” “poor man got poor ways,” “them Na…chos,” and “how you beans?  …All rice.”

At the age of 30 he accepted the Lord and throughout the years he was very involved at church.  He served as Interim Music Minister, taught Sunday School, drove a bus in the bus ministry, and pitched on the men’s softball team.

He loved music.  Monty sang in solos, in choir, at nursing homes, and in a quartet with his wife, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law, known as the famous “Mixed Quartet.”  He always said, he was the reason the quartet was “mixed.”  He also sang the introduction song on the radio program “Moments of Peace.”

Monty loved hot peppers, evidenced by the spicy plate of beans named after him on the menu at Manny’s – Rocha Beans.  He enjoyed hunting, horseback riding, and training bird dogs. 

He enriched the lives of many and will be greatly missed.