Wayne Ralph Flores — a Manteca City Council member who served in the 1990s — has passed away.
The 59-year-old Flores was a lightning rod for controversy with his endeavors that ranged from slamming the district attorney’s office for not taking gang graffiti serious enough, fighting the opening of an adult bookstore near Golden West School, and routinely criticizing entranced leaders for not encouraging fresh ideas to successfully shepherding passage of an ordinance allowing pot belly pigs in Manteca neighborhoods.
Flores passed away Wednesday.
He ran twice unsuccessfully for the City Council before finally getting elected. He ended up serving eight years.
“He always told us to keep pursuing your dreams no matter what,” his daughter Harmony Rebeiro of Lathrop said on Friday. “He didn’t let losing twice (in Manteca election council races) discourage him. He kept going until he won.”
Flores often ended up on the losing end of 3-2 votes along with Carlon Perry. The two approached city issues from different perspectives from each other when they ended up voting against what was perceived as the status quo.
Flores was part of the council when Frank Warren and the late Bill Perry served as mayor. The tenor of meetings during that era was a bit rancorous at times but Flores wouldn’t back down from his convictions.
Flores worked for more than 20 years with the California Department of Corrections reaching the level of a lieutenant at the Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy before becoming a parole officer in Sacramento.
He was born Sept. 18, 1957 in Oakland and was raised in San Leandro where he graduated from San Leandro High. He played prep baseball for the Pirates. He was a skilled enough player that he ended up playing ball after high school for a short time with a minor league baseball team.
Flores served in the Air Force from 1978 to 1980.
He’s been a regular season ticketholder since the Raiders returned to Oakland after playing in Los Angeles for a number of seasons. He was also an avid Oakland A’s fans.
Politics was a big passion for Flores.
After coming out of surgery last month, his family knew he would want to know about the presidential election results. A dedicated Democrat, he rolled his eyes as he couldn’t speak when he was told Hillary Clinton did not win.
While most who remember him in Manteca tie him to city politics, Flores took pleasure in keeping his yards and gardens tidy. He was a big collector of Coca-Cola memorabilia and was such a fan of Mickey Mouse collectibles that his second wedding had a Mickey Mouse theme right down to the Mickey Mouse tie he wore during the ceremonies.
 Flores enjoyed dogs he had throughout the years and was so keen on pot belly pigs that he pushed successfully to change city law so that he and others could legally keep them within the city limits.
He was married for 17 years to Van Flores.
His children are Harmony Rebeiro, Lathrop; Melody Flores, Stockton; Austin Flores, Stockton; Justice Flores, Stockton; and Destiny Flores, Irvine. His grandchildren are Max DeBord and Samath DeBoard, both of Stockton. Flores’ grandkids are Bryce Rebeiro, Lathrop; Tara DeBord, Stockton; Sunny Taylor, Stockton; and Violet Taylor, Stockton.
Funeral services are Thursday, Dec. 22, at 9 a.m. at P.L. Fry & Sons in Manteca, Burial will follow at the San Joaquin Valley Cemetery in Santa Nella.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabuletin.com