Wallace James Manning

Wallace James Manning, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away gently and peacefully in Arlington, Texas, at the age of 90, with his wife, Donna, by his side. Born in Towner, North Dakota, he was delivered by midwife to Mary and Daniel Manning; the family resided in Verendrye. He grew up in the beautiful countryside with the hardworking spirit that defined his life. As a teenager he was known to be a bit wild, assisted and encouraged by his lifelong friend, Johnny Zabach.

Wallace (also known as “Buck”) dedicated his working life to the railroad, working in depots from his early teen years through to retirement-a path that followed in the footsteps of his father, a lifelong railroader. Though committed to work and family he managed to earn a business degree from Texas Wesylan University in Fort Worth, at the age of 36 -a testament to his perseverance, work ethic and dedication to care for his family.

In the mid 1960s Wallace moved his family to Texas due to health concerns, with a brief stop in Santa Maria, California, in 1963. He ultimately built a life in Texas where he put his love of woodworking and cabinetry to good use in each home the family lived in. He had a dream of having a log cabin in the country, a dream he fulfilled in 1982 when he constructed a log cabin on two acres in Burleson, Texas. He shared a great friendship with his next-door neighbor and veterinarian, Bob Domer. Over the years, as his children bought their own homes, he was invaluable in using his skills to help them with their home improvements.

Wallace had many quiet interests, enjoying fishing, coin collecting, poker, reading, cars and in his latest years, he loved doing his puzzles. His inclusion in a group of ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out), provided him with a wonderful circle of friends that brought him great joy in retirement, and provided him with poker buddies. His son Craig was a part-time ROMEO as well. Another member was Tom Skeie, whom he met in Texas in 1970, soon after Tom had moved here from Minnesota. He had always loved cars and was an accomplished amateur mechanic “until they got so darned computerized”, passing on his mechanical knowledge to his children, who always turned to him for advice before buying a car. He last dream car was a fire engine red, 2013 Mercedes E350.

Music and movies gave him enjoyment in his rare leisure times. A devoted Elvis Presley fan, he shared Elvis’ movies and music with his family. He also had a soft spot for old westerns, particularly John Wayne films.

Above all, Wallace was a homebody, a family man. An early love letter to Donna was recently unearthed where he wrote of them getting married and having “4 or 5 children”: a goal that was acheived!

He adored his dogs: he found them sometimes easier to communicate with than were people. He had a string of dachshunds in his retirement years: Sam, along with Tootsie; then KiKi, and lastly KoKo. They all provided him with comforting companionship.

His work ethic, known in North Dakota as being “a hard worker” -the highest of compliments- was evident in everything he did, and he successfully passed this on to his children.

It is difficult to condense a long life of 90 years down to its essence, but the love his family had for him is proof of a life well lived. There were so many little bits of wisdom he told us as we were growing . And so many times he gave us support in a crisis. Goodbye, and have peace, Dad.

Wallace is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Donna Lou Olson. They were married in 1956 in Velva, North Dakota. He is also survived by his children: Colette Manning Mathias, Curt Wallace Manning, Melani Kay Dupriest, Valerie Lou Daigle. He was preceded in death by his beloved youngest, Craig Norris Manning. All his children were, are of Arlington, Texas.

His grandchildren: Crystal Wyatt, Ashley Jobe, Tiffany Hutchings, Neil Manning and Alex Manning.

Great grandchildren: Lydia, Jackson and Deacon Wyatt; Naela Kaba, Norah and Josie Jobe.

His cousin: Patricia Petosky Darby, of Midland, Texas, whom he had a special bond, as he spent his high school years living with Patricia and her parents, Jack and Brownie Petosky.

He was the youngest of 4 children. His older brothers preceded him in death: Pat Manning of Philadelphia, Jack Manning of Las Vegas. His sister Kay Shoemaker resided in Orlando, Florida. His parents, Mary and Dan, are laid at rest in Orlando, Florida.

His cremation is being handled by Moore Bowen Road Funeral Home in Arlington, Texas. A memorial and celebration will be at one of his children’s’ homes, date to be determined and announced.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to:

DFW Dachshund Rescue

P.O. Box 1892

Colleyville, TX 76034

email: [email protected]

Wallace lived a full life -one with difficulties, hard work, dedication, laughter and love. His memory will be cherished by his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing him.