Manuel (“Manolo”) Ortuño Sanz passed away peacefully at home on June 13, 2026, at the age of 99, after a long and eventful life, surrounded by his family.
Manuel was born on March 23, 1927, in Albacete, Spain, the second oldest of four children of Claudio Sanz Ferrer and Ana Maria Ortuño. He spent his early years in Albacete and the beach towns around Valencia, enduring the hardships of the Spanish Civil War at an early age, when Albacete featured prominently as the base for the Lincoln Brigade, made famous by Ernest Hemingway.
His path from Albacete led him to Madrid, where, after considering a career in the priesthood with the founder of the nascent Opus Dei order, he decided instead to pursue medicine and attended medical school. After serving briefly as a Second Lieutenant in the Spanish military, he then crossed the Atlantic to the United States in 1958 to pursue his residency in psychiatry at Doctor’s Hospital in Washington, DC. He began his career as a psychiatrist at the state mental hospital in Sykesville, Maryland (Springfield State Hospital). Continuing his career supporting state mental hospitals, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky (Central State Hospital), and later joined Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1969, where he served for over 34 years, including as Clinical Director, until his retirement in 2004. Along the way, he accomplished his goal of becoming a National Board-Certified psychiatrist.
Before his arrival in the United States, he married Angeles Jimenez Benitez, and together they raised their family in their adopted home country, eventually becoming proud citizens. They divorced after their children were adults, and Manuel later married Katheryn Edna Lovell in 2004, whom he cherished dearly, along with his new ‘bonus” family. He also loved his work as a psychiatrist, helping his many patients over the years live better, more meaningful lives. He was a passionate soccer fan, particularly of the Barcelona club team (much to the dismay of his sons and grandson who support Real Madrid!) and the Spanish national team, which he will no doubt be cheering on from above during this summer’s World Cup. “¡Vamos España!”
Manuel is survived by his two sons, Gerry (Kim) Sanz of Arlington, Virginia, and Ed (Terri) Sanz of Charlotte, North Carolina; his “bonus” children, Chris (Katie) Poulin, Kim Poulin, and Josh Poulin; and four grandchildren, Alex, Nikki, Joe, and Kat. He is also survived by his brother in Spain, Jaime (Esperanza), along with his nephews, nieces, great-nephews, and great-nieces. He was preceded in death by his sisters, Aurora and Louisa (Pepe), and by his mother and father.
A private family memorial service will be held to celebrate Manuel’s life, and his ashes will be laid to rest in his adopted country, in Williamsburg, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the National Alliance of Mental Illness.
