Manilla Helen Dunlap Dean

Manilla was born in McDowell County, May 25, 1932, a daughter of the late Raymond Plemmons and Sallie Hall Plemmons. She retired from the Guilford County Schools after 30 years, serving as cafeteria manager at several different schools. Manilla was a member of English Road Baptist Church and she and her husband Charles helped found the West End Ministry and Food Pantry, distributing bread, food and clothing to the less fortunate. She received the High Point Human Relations Commission Humanitarian Award in 2013 and the West End Ministries Resource Center was dedicated in Manilla and Charles’ honor. Manilla was preceded in death by her first husband, Wade Dunlap; a daughter, Karla Murphy and two brothers, J. V. Plemmons and Bobby Shipman.

Surviving are husband, Charles Dean of the home; two daughters, Sallie Colaco Wagner and husband Matthias and Janet Allen and husband Tony; two sons, Mark Dean and wife Doris and Michael Dean; son in law, David Murphy; eight grandchildren, Kathy Murphy Alma and husband Adrian, Keith Murphy and wife Avis, Syler Colaco and wife Bryce Hamilton, Kensey Colaco Hulett and wife Sara, Jonathan Allen, Faith Johnson, Joshua Dean and Celine Wagner; great-grandchildren, Japeth and Levi Murphy, William and Mariyn Colaco; two sisters, Rosa Lee Whiteaker and Rachel Kuykendall; a brother, Thomas Shipman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Manilla’s life will be held Friday at 2 p.m. in the English Road Baptist Church by the Rev. Dr. Jim Summey. The family will receive friends at Davis Funeral Home Thursday from 6 until 8 p.m. Memorials may be directed to West End Food Ministries or to Hospice of the Piedmont. Online condolences may be made at davisfuneralsandcremations.com. Manilla enriched the lives of all she met, feeding the hungry through her career and ministry, feeding our souls with her love, kindness and gentle spirit.