Lyle Mannweiler

The world has lost one of its truly nice guys. Lyle Jasper Mannweiler left this earth on Monday, October 14, leaving a trail of grieving family, friends and even casual acquaintances in his wake. Lyle was born on July 5, 1941 in South Bend, Indiana. When his father suddenly passed away eight years later, his mother moved her young brood (three boys, aged 8, 6 and 17 days) to Indianapolis, where she had been raised. The tiny Mannweiler house was always full of Lyle’s and his brothers’ friends. He actually did walk a mile to school and back each day -- though not barefoot, in the snow and uphill both ways.

Lyle spent his entire career in journalism. He began working at The Indianapolis News as a copyboy at age 14, and continued with the News and eventually The Indianapolis Star until his retirement in 2005. He worked his way through college at the News and continued after graduation, starting with police reporting and then spending 30 years as Associate Sports Editor. He was sent to Munich by the News to cover the 1972 Olympics; ads on city buses read “LYLE MANNWEILER: OUR MAN IN MUNICH”. A photography hobby, which blossomed to the point that he studied under Ansel Adams at Yosemite, led him to write an occasional photography column for the News, teach photography classes and show his work professionally. Upon the demise of the Great Hoosier Daily, he became Assistant Managing Editor for Administration at the Star.

Lyle received his Bachelor’s Degree from Butler University in 1963, where he studied history and mathematics (proving that a journalism degree was not a prerequisite for journalistic excellence) and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He later was honored by Butler for his journalistic achievements.

His high school class (Broad Ripple Class of 1959) was unusually close, and reunited with regularity over the years. Everyone from that class agrees that Lyle was the glue that held them together, planning all their reunions and keeping the lines of communication open. He had a monthly “Boys’ Breakfast” with old Broad Ripple classmates up until his passing. He also enjoyed a monthly lunch with his former Star and News colleagues and a periodic virtual call with far-flung friends.

Lyle and his wife, Deborah Daniels, were married in 1985 and lived happily together for nearly 40 years – or, as Lyle always put it, “40 Wonderful Years”. Not having children, they dearly loved spending time with their 10 nieces and nephews, and more recently their spouses and 15 great-nieces and great-nephews. His “Extend-A-Fork” was a great hit at Thanksgiving dinner as he stole food off the kids’ plates.

Lyle loved Key West. He and Deborah first visited in 1991, bought a time-share on the spot, and continued going there each year until this year. Lyle loved nothing more than leading bike tours of the island for his friends and showing them his favorite places. Many people, including a former personal friend of Ernest Hemingway, told Lyle he should enter the Key West Hemingway lookalike contest, which he would surely have won hands down.

Lyle had a big heart and would do anything for anyone. It seems he gave away so much of his heart that he just didn’t have enough left for himself at the end.

Lyle was predeceased by his parents, Charles Lyle Mannweiler and Mildred Jasper Mannweiler Bradford. He is survived by his loving wife, Deborah, brothers Paul (Kim) Mannweiler and David (Vicki) Mannweiler; his dear cousin and almost-brother, Bill Jasper (Kristen McFarland), 10 nieces and nephews and 15 great-nieces and great-nephews.

Calling will be held at Leppert Mortuary Nora, 740 E. 86th Street, from 2:00-4:00 on Friday, November 1, followed by a celebration of life at 4:00. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to make a contribution to the American Heart Association, the Indiana Repertory Theatre, or a charity of your choice. And do something nice for someone else, in Lyle’s honor.

To share a memory, please visit www.leppertmortuary.com.