Dr. Manuel L. Myers, 62, of Long Beach, Calif., died suddenly on Sunday, March 4, 2012 of a heart attack.

He came into the world March 22, 1949, in Tampa, the seventh of 11 children born to Jessie and Arlene Marie Edgecomb Myers.

Manuel lived in Tampa until age 16, when he went to live with his older sister, Marie Myers Thornton, and her husband, John, in San Diego, Calif. He graduated from high school in San Diego in 1967 and matriculated as part of the first class at University of California San Diego’s Muir College, where he also was the only Black student to enter as a Biology major. He was the first Black man to complete a bachelor’s degree in the sciences at UCSD.

In 1977, he celebrated both his graduation from medical school at the University of Florida and the birth of his daughter, Tikvah. He returned to California for a one-year internship in the department of internal medicine at Los Angeles County – University of Southern California Medical Center.

After the birth of his son, Kazi, in 1979, he continued his training for two more years at Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center. When he completed that training, he was offered a position in the center’s department of internal medicine.

Throughout his career, Manuel remained committed to the practice of medicine and the care of patients. He devoted more than 30 years to Kaiser Permanente.

He saw patients at the Kaiser Inglewood Medical Building, which allowed him to live his dream of giving back to his adopted community. His patients appreciated his caring and gentle demeanor and commitment to their health and well-being.

His numerous professional accomplishments include serving more than 10 years as the Physician-in-Charge at the Kaiser Inglewood office and co-founding the Sickle Cell Anemia Team. Outside his practice, he was a frequent speaker at community events and took several trips to Honduras to serve as a physician volunteer.

Manuel deeply valued his family and considered his brothers and sisters to be his best friends. Those who knew and loved him will cherish and remember his sense of humor; deep, booming voice; sense of integrity; generosity and great infectious laugh.

He is survived by his children; four grandchildren; his wife, Priscilla; sisters, Marie Thornton, Diane Friday and Justine Myers; brothers, Hewitt Myers, Charles Myers, Harvey Myers, Rudolph Myers, Eric Myers and Michael Myers; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

He will be memorialized in a service on Saturday, March 17, at Friendship Baptist Church, 80 West Dayton St., Pasadena, Calif.