Bayli Elizabeth Manuel "Toodlebug"

Bayli Elizabeth Manuel departed this life on May 30th, 2024, at the age of 20. She was a resident of Knoxville, Tennessee, and a University of Tennessee student. Bayli was born on December 12th, 2003, in Lafayette, Louisiana, to her parents, Elizabeth “Beth” Eileen Manuel and Kim Elizabeth Dommert. She was their only child, though she had at least 14 half-siblings through her donor.

As a child, Bayli quickly showed her brilliant creativity. Using her photographic memory, she showed off her artistic abilities – often drawing characters in great detail without looking at their photos. She loved making home movies, putting cinematic music behind everyday moments to make her own films. She was known for the things that made Bayli special – preferring water over soda, loving and learning in great detail Japanese culture, being extremely skilled at video games, being a loyal defender of her friends and loved ones, an animal lover, especially of her cats, Tora and Thiago, and many other things.

Upon entering her teenage years, Bayli’s skills and creativity only blossomed. Her passion for drawing transformed into doing beautifully detailed artwork commissions, found at @mushibo_. Her fierce love of others showed itself in many ways, but especially through her advocacy of the LGBTQ+ community. Her gaming abilities led to her creating a community of faithful friends, both locally and internationally, and she entered the cosplay world, creating intricate costumes and wigs of the characters she loved and attending conventions with her friends. She had many things and people that she loved deeply.

At the time of her death, Bayli was majoring in Industrial Engineering and minoring in Japanese at the University of Tennessee. She was the Co-President of the Gaymerz, on the Entertainment Committee for the Campus Events Board, and a member of the Institution of Industrial and System Engineers. She was working at UT Printing and Mail and DoorDash. She was looking forward to continuing her artwork commissions and one day creating industrial plans.

Bayli is preceded in death by her grandfather, Bruce Manuel; her grandmother, Eileen Johnson; and her beloved cat, Thiago.

She is survived by her “birth giver”, Beth Manuel; her Deucey (not daddy), Kim Dommert; her best feline friend, Tora; her deeply loved boyfriend, Gavin Miller; her very close friends, Silas Friedman, Olivia Marsh, Sebastian Howe, and Rowan Freeman; her lifelong friend, Sophie Landry; her uncle, Benjy Manuel; her favorite dog, Miss Mabel; Mabel’s parents, Madison and David Grant; and a host of other wonderful friends.

The family will receive friends Saturday from 3 - 5 pm at Berry Lynnhurst Funeral Home, 2300 Adair Dr. The Memorial Service will follow. Bright colors are encouraged to be worn, especially pink. Condolences and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.berrylynnhurst.com for the Manuel family.