James Julian Manning

Born December 2nd, 1941 in Lawn Newfoundland. He was the son of the late James Manning and late Adell Strang-Manning. James Manning is preceded in death by a number of his siblings; his brothers, Allen Manning, Andrew Manning, Clarence Manning, Leo Manning and sisters Ellen Mary Higgs, Pearl Cummings, Adell Pilon and Rita O’Brian.

He leaves to mourn 4 children Gail Manning, Dexter Manning, James( Corey) Manning and Tina Manning along with 5 grandchildren and 3 sisters , Gail Manning, Marion Walker and Madeline Manning,

Due to these current, unprecedented times, James will be cremated at Cruikshanks Funeral home in Halifax and returned to his home of Lawn, Newfoundland to be laid to rest next to his mother. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.

James was a hard working man who was devoted to his children. He worked in a number of industries; mining, construction, automotive, and the fishery, and was a member of the Seafarers International union. He will be dearly missed.

A Special Word from James' daughter, Gail...

My Father James (Jim) Manning

Born to Adell Strang-Manning and James Manning on December 2nd, 1941

Died: April 20, 2020

People might be surprised to realize that I wasn’t much of a girly girl growing up. When I was little girl, I

was so attached to my father that he wasn’t allowed to leave the house without me. He’d try to sneak

out and I’d catch him and jump on his leg and stay there so he’d have to drag me out if he wanted to go.

I usually won.  I may have been a bit spoiled. He gave me my first tommy hawk and I helped cut down

Christmas trees with it. When we put a tree up, I would climb to the top and swing off it. Of course, I’ve

have to be the one who put the angel on the tree too. I didn’t want any stars. I had hip rubbers to catch

caplin in June. I had horses that I rode bear back and with a saddle. I had many rides on a horse drawn

cart. I had every animal I ever wanted including rabbits.

As in tradition, we would shoot off a gun on New Year’s all those years ago so I shot the gun too. A little

bit of kickback to my shoulder, I remember  I didn’t think there was anything I couldn’t do just because

I was female. I had to do whatever my brother did. I drove skidoo’s and ATV’s which was strange for a

female at that point in time. We took other kids with us to movies all the way to Marystown back then

and always dropped by Uncle Ang’s for a game of pool with my cousins in their downstairs rec room

after. He loved children and they loved him. He helped whoever he could and often took people in to his

own place and provided them with free food and shelter until they got a job or got on their feet. Lots of

the times he actually helped them find work. He taught me how to play poker but Dex always won.

He actually jumped in the ocean at Manning’s beach and swam halfway across one time Dex or one of

his friends lost the soccer ball in the water and it kept floating out to sea. He was plagued with some

demons sometimes that he struggled to control. Later in life, the dementia altered his personality

completely. I saw him last year in Halifax and he really didn’t know who I was. I showed him pictures of

us when we were young and he recognized us then. He recognized his mother as well.

He was a pretty cool lad I think in his day but he was always a Momma’s boy. He had a heart of gold. He

was true and honest even silly. I watched so many western movies before I was 5, I wanted to be a

cowgirl. I saw him pick up for his friends so often even if he shouldn’t have. He wasn’t cowardly. I’ve

been told many times that he was one of the best workers if not the best and hardest worker they ever

knew. He never once bragged about his work ethic to us. We only heard that from other people. He

didn’t have high self-esteem. He always felt he should have done better yet he was doing great and

better than a lot at the time. He was a good looking man with an infectious smile.

He worked hard since he was about 15 in the family fishing business. He worked out west, many parts of

Newfoundland, Montreal, Ontario and the great lakes plus more. We didn’t want for anything if there

were financially hard times, we didn’t know about it or suffer because of it. All he ever wanted was for

his kids to have better and be happier than him.

I’ve carried with me for many years this letter or poem that was written as an Ode to James Manning. It

mentions his cousin Al Manning as well. The jist of it was some St. Lawrencers threatening them to stay

away from the women there. It was jovial but I have no clue who wrote it. I guess they were quite

popular with the women. I looked for it everywhere today but couldn’t find it.

I have a few pictures I’ve carried in my wallet for forever or at least 30 years.

My father, you had challenges. You were not perfect. I am not perfect and I don’t know anyone who is

but you taught me a lot. I love you unconditionally now and forever and I will keep those childhood

memories and overprotective love in my heart and even my personality forever. You did a lot of good in

this world and helped a lot of people including us.