Joe W. Manning Jr.

The son of Joe Wiley Manning and Faye Carsey, he graduated from Greenville High School, where he was the manager of the Flaming Flashes. In junior high school, he was the recipient of the American Legion Award, based on honor, courage, leadership, service and scholarship.

As a young man, he learned the importance of salesmanship and good customer service while working at his family's service station. He briefly attended East Texas State Teachers College in Commerce (now Texas A&M) before leaving to take a job in Houston as a diesel engine salesman for C. Jim Stewart & Stevenson in 1938. He was fortunate to have as mentors his grandfather, John Milton Carsey, his father, Joe Manning, Sr. and Mr. Ross Stewart.

By 1940 he was the General Manager of the Diesel Engine Division, which later became Stewart & Stevenson Services, Inc. Under his leadership, the company became known as the world's largest distributor of diesel engines. During World War II, he directed the company's operations building equipment utilized in the war effort and retired in 1985 as President and CEO.

In early 1940, he met Norma Jean Brecheen of Commerce at a DeMolay dance. They were married on the 7th of June 1942 in Commerce, and settled in the Houston area, residing in Bellaire from 1946 to 1973 at the Windy Acres. There they had the good fortune to employ a wonderful and dear couple, Verna and Sam Johnson, who became part of the family and helped to raise their children.

Joe enjoyed hunting, fishing and his family. Above all, he loved his family and his country; he was a true patriot.

He was predeceased by his parents, his brother J. Carsey Manning, his brothers-in-law Emil D. Joost and John Cameron Brecheen; sisters-in-law Barbara Tengg Manning and Nancy Brecheen Grant, and many special cousins. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Norma, and his four children and their families: Nancy Cameron Reese and husband, H. Douglas III; Joe Manning IV and wife, Clair Clark, Molly Carpenter and husband, James Douglas of Fort Worth, and Jim Lindsey Manning of Austin. Joe leaves behind his grandchildren, Douglas Manning Reese, Dr. Ava Erin Manning and her husband, Frank Verducci; Molly Elizabeth Reese and her husband, Wesley Ward; Heidi Jean Manning and her husband, Kendall Archer, Allison Ann Carpenter and her husband, Pete Yoder; Joe W. Manning V; and Mary Katherine "Katie" Carpenter and her husband, Jeff Wilson; great-grandchildren Madeline, Abigail, Luke and Lucy Archer; Lily, Ava and Wylie Ward; Jack and Nick Verducci; Will Yoder; and Carsey Wilson. He is also survived by his sister, Cynthia Manning Joost, his sister-in-law Ava Brecheen Duncan; numerous beloved nieces, nephews and cousins; lifelong friend Dick Conolly of Corpus Christi and special friends Tyanna Jones and Lenore Lockett.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o'clock in the afternoon until eight o'clock in the evening on Thursday, the 22nd of April, in the Parlor of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A celebration of his life is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 23rd of April, in the sanctuary of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer Road in Houston, where Rev. Peter Miller and Rev. Newton Cole are to officiate. Prior to service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Douglas Manning Reese, Joe Manning V, Kendall Archer, Frank Verducci, Wesley Ward, Pete Yoder, Jeff Wilson, H. Douglas Reese III, James D. Carpenter and R. N. "Dick" Conolly.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that donations in Joe’s name be directed to the The Salvation Army 1500 Austin Street, Houston, Texas 77003; St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 263 Spur 962, Cypress Mill, Texas or to the charity of one’s choosing.