David Peter Manley

David P. Manley, 84, of Fairview, Texas, passed away on April 26, 2026. Born in Utica, New York, on July 25, 1941, to John Orville Manley and Mary Kathleen Madden, Dave led a life defined by hard work and an unwavering dedication to his family.

A proud veteran, Dave served in the U.S. Navy as an E-4 and radio operator. His passion for performance was clear to all; he frequently sang on the radio during his service and carried a love for singing and dancing throughout his entire life. His favorite songs, "You Are My Sunshine" and his playful rendition of "If I Had a Nickel," became signatures of his love and will forever echo in the hearts of all who listened.

A devout Catholic, Dave’s life was anchored by his deep devotion to his faith and closeness to God. He and his wife, Sharon, traveled to Medjugorje on a spiritual pilgrimage. It was there, after climbing the mountain, that his rosary beads turned to gold-a cherished testament to the strength and depth of his faith.

Dave’s professional journey was marked by a natural talent for connection. He began his career in sales at Canada Dry Ginger Ale and dedicated over 25 years to the greeting card industry, including roles at Gibson, Gallant, and Paramount. He eventually realized his dream of owning his own card and gift store and became the proud business owner and operator of Cards for Less in Plano, TX and CardSmart in Garland, TX for over 13 years during the 1990s and early 2000s. Alongside his wife Sharon, who served as co-owner, Dave navigated the Beanie Baby craze with a heart for service, holding raffles for popular Beanie Babies donating a large portion of those earnings to the Children’s Advocacy Center of Plano, contributing to their success.

An avid sports enthusiast, Dave loved everything from ping pong, frisbee, and darts to tennis, football, and basketball. His greatest joy, however, was being his family’s biggest fan. He was a constant, cheering presence in the stands, never missing a sports event for his daughters and granddaughters. It was always apparent who his favorite players were, as he was always present, cheering on his children and grandchildren at every event they were involved in.

The heart of Dave’s world was his family, especially the love of his life, Sharon, with whom he shared over 50 years of marriage from February 1, 1964, until her passing in 2015.

He also shared a special bond with his five brothers and sisters Mary, Pat, Jimmy, Eddie, and Johnnie (he is the youngest of the 6) along with their spouses Don Knight, Don Mehaffey, Petie, Debbie and Joan. He also deeply loved his many nieces and nephews.

David is survived by his three daughters, Marlene Taylor-Davis, Darlene Carlson, and Wendy Macaluso, along with their spouses Alan Davis, Charles Rowley, and Tony Macaluso. He was a proud and loving grandfather to Frankie Donathan, Blair Taylor, Corey Carlson, Tyler Bradford, Madison Shaw, Ryan Macaluso, Trey Macaluso, and Ben Macaluso. He was also a cherished great-grandfather to Aven, Cambri, Zander, Grant, Faolon, Scionn, Shea, Finn, and Aslyn.

He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose joyful spirit, humor and unconditional love will be deeply missed and never forgotten. He instilled in his family values and morals that will be carried in their hearts forever.

We want to express our deep gratitude to the caregivers at Medical City McKinney, where he spent his final days, and he and his family were treated with exceptional love and kindness. The ICU manager, Cortland Tolbert and three of his ICU nurses, Stella, Jennifer & Maddie Adam are extraordinary members of the hospital who worked especially hard to make his last days as comfortable as possible and comfort our family during this extremely difficult time.