Page 3 - Florida Sentinel 11-29-16 Online Edition

Feature
Legendary Tampa Olympian And Retired Educator Dies
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
A popular retired educa- tor who became a part of United States history has died. Ms. Theresa Manuel was 90 years old.
Ms. Cynthia Flowers, Ms. Manuel’s cousin and caregiver said, “She was under home healthcare. But she wasn’t really sick. Mon- day afternoon, she seemed to start going down. But she was surrounded by family and friends. She smiled and then just slipped away.
“We had talked about what she wanted when she passed and she said she did not want a wake and she did not want a funeral. But, I told her we would have to do something because even though she was a private per- son, she belonged to Tampa, to Middleton High School, to Hillsborough High School, to Tuskegee University, and to the United States. I told her she was a part of this coun- try’s history.
“S0, I am trying to honor her wishes by not having a funeral. However, she en- joyed her life so we are in the process of having a celebra- tion of her life. But, we have not completed all of the plans.”
A native of Port Tampa, Ms. Manuel attended the public schools of Hillsbor- ough County. When she en- rolled at Middleton High School, she joined the bas- ketball team. After graduat- ing from Middleton High School, Ms. Manuel contin- ued her education at Tuskegee Institute, where she continued to play basket- ball.
She went on to lead the school to four straight con- ference championships. But, it was also at Tuskegee where Ms. Manuel was encour- aged to run track.
Ms. Manuel became the first African American woman from Florida to par- ticipate in the 1948 Olympics
MS. THERESA MANUEL January 7, 1926 to November 21, 2016
ton Art students and the East Tampa Community Revital- ization Partnership (ETCP) Aesthetics & Beautification Sub-Committee, the murals serve as link between East Tampa and the school.
Upon learning of her death, U. S. Rep. Kathy Castor said, “The Tampa community has lost a his- tory-maker and longtime ed- ucator, Theresa Manuel. She shattered barriers by be- coming the first African American woman from Florida to compete in the Olympics. She then spent her lifetime championing stu- dents as an educator and coach at Middleton and Hillsborough High Schools, motivating them to win on the field and in life.
“Tampa has been dubbed a ‘City of Champions,’ and Ms. Manuel was one of them.”
Ray Williams Funeral Home is in charge of han- dling arrangements for Ms. Manuel.
in London, breaking the color barrier. She competed in the Women’s 80 meter hurdles and served as the third leg in the Women 4 x 100 yard relay.
Ms. Manuel graduated college in 1949, and returned to Hillsborough County to embark upon a teaching ca- reer at her alma mater, Mid- dleton High School. She also served as the Girls Basketball Coach. During her 38-year career, Ms. Manuel was voted Coach of the Year on the county level and once on the state level.
However, her hometown honored her in special trib- utes as being a hometown legend. Ms. Manuel was the recipient of numerous honors.
In 1994, Ms. Manuel once again became “the first African American woman” to be inducted into the Tampa Sports Hall of Fame. The Manuel-Griffin Relays, one of the largest high school track events, is also named in her honor. In 2004, the high school track at Hillsborough High School, from which she retired, was named in her honor.
Last December, Ms.
Manuel visited Middleton High School and met with Art Teacher David Kramer and the students enrolled in the Art Class. The students included Ms. Manuel’s likeness in a mural. The
mural was unveiled May 16, 2016.
It joined two others com- pleted by previous students in the Art Program at the school. Created through a partnership between Middle-
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