Arthur Randall McManigal

He was born on November 4th, 1934 in Walthill, Nebraska to Arthur Van and Hazel (Knapp) McManigal. He was raised and educated in Walthill and graduated from Walthill High School in 1952. In high school he participated and lettered in football, basketball and track. In track he qualified for districts in the hurdles and was later offered a college scholarship. Art instead chose to enter the workforce and began a career with the Telephone Company. His father Arthur Senior was a general contractor, which led to Art’s passion for carpentry. In his youth he loved to work on cars and restored a Packard Hearse. During his teens, Art enjoyed dancing to big band music. At one of these dances he met his future bride Joy Fanning of Pender Nebraska. They were married in South Sioux City, Nebraska on October 22nd, 1954. Art and Joy lived in Fremont and West Point Nebraska until 1968 when they moved with their four children to Yakima WA.

Art worked for Northwestern Bell in Nebraska starting out as a lineman, became an installer and then a teletype specialist. Upon moving to Yakima, Art worked for Pacific Northwest Bell that later became US West Communications where he retired as a Supervisor February 28th, 1990 after 36 years of service.

Art’s life centered around his family. He was a devoted father and was involved in the various activities of his four children. Art and Joy attended every sporting event of their children and later their grandchildren. Art was on the board for American Legion Baseball, active in the Communication Workers of America Union, Special Olympics and The Telephone Pioneers.

Art enjoyed carpentry, gardening, fishing, travel, and crossword puzzles and upon retirement started his own small business called Yakima Vending. Art was known as “Mr. Fix It”, no task was too difficult and he could fix anything. He was famously known as the guy who hand dug his own basement so he could have a shop to call his own. Art was very social and enjoyed meeting new people.

He is survived by Joy, his loving wife of 61 years and his four children: Mark and his wife Deborah of Entiat, WA, Bonnie McManigal of Seattle WA, Julie and her husband Frank Colunga of College Station, TX, Mary and her husband Todd Curtis of Yakima, WA. Ten grandchildren: Brandy (McManigal) and her husband James Bookwalter, Matthew McManigal. Sarah, Nicole, Frankie and Natalie Colunga. Taylor Curtis and his wife Kelsey, Haley (Curtis) and her husband Braden Poole, Spencer and Shannon Curtis. Three great grandchildren: Cody and Alyssa Mobley and Ella Bookwalter. Nephews: David, Doug, Dennis, Dan, and Dustyn Edler, and Niece Grace (Edler) Manning. He is preceded in death by his parents, three brothers: John McManigal, David and Howard Gobat. Two sisters: Virginia Lampman and Ruie White.

Visitation will be held on Monday, November 30th and Tuesday, December 1st from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Keith and Keith Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday December 2nd, 2015 at 1:00 pm at Yakima Foursquare Church 700 N. 40th Ave. Concluding services will follow in Terrace Heights Memorial Park. To share a memory of Arthur, please visit www.keithandkeith.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to The Children’s Miracle Network, or Boy’s Town Nebraska. The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at North Star and the staff in the ICU at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital for their wonderful care.