Thomas Manning

Thomas Manning 82 of Brashear, Missouri passed away Thursday, December 28, 2023, at Clarence Care Center in Clarence, Missouri.

The son of Thomas and Esther (Bartels) Manning, he was born September 15, 1941, in St. Louis, Missouri. On August 5, 1968, in Hawaii, he was united in marriage to Janet (Kraushaar) Manning.

Thomas is survived by one son, Thomas Manning of Brashear, MO; one daughter, Sarah Almond and husband James of Clovis, CA; three grandchildren, Michael Almond, Cassidy Almond and Margaret Almond; his sisters, Carolyn Boyd and husband Gayle, Marilyn Kornberger of St. Louis, MO; brother, John Manning and wife Leslie of Fate, TX. He was preceded in death by his wife Janet, his parents, brother in laws John Kornberger and Carl Blackwood

Thomas grew up in St. Louis where he met Janet who lived across the street on Barry Ct.  Thomas graduated from Kirkwood High School in 1960 and enrolled in University of Missouri Rolla to pursue a BS in Civil Engineering.  His college years were interrupted by the Vietnam War, Tom was commissioned into the Quartermaster Corps after basic training and was stationed in San Francisco then Saigon during the war.

In 1968, Thomas and Janet were married in Hawaii while he was on leave from Vietnam.  After Thomas returned home, they moved to St James, Missouri where he finished his degree and where Sarah was born in 1970.  He then became the City Engineer in Bloomington, IL where Tom was born in 1972.  They made many lifelong friends in St James and Bloomington, the Marcees, Gigers, Gradys, Liddles, and the Holtmans.

He became a City Engineer in Chillicothe, Missouri and finally they moved to the house on Saucier in Creve Coeur, Missouri in 1977 where they spent the next 32 years.  He worked at PCA, HOK, Bi-State before becoming Director of Public Works for the city of Berkeley, MO then finally Director of Public works for the city of Hazelwood, MO where he retired in 2009.  They spent many holidays and vacations with their families Leslie & John Manning, Marilyn & John Kornberger, Carolyn & Gayle Boyd, Jerry & Judy Kraushaar, Sandy & Rod Okayabashi and Steve & Mindy Chadwick.

Tom joined the army reserves in 1978 and advanced to the rank of Major and received the Meritorious Service Medal before retiring in 1999. Tom loved hunting and shooting and spent many hours walking properties and reloading ammunition. In 2002 the family purchased hunting land near Brashear Missouri and built the cabin where they spent a lot of weekends and holidays with the Bleything families.  Tom was a very gracious host and encouraged family and friends to visit the ranch, and experience hunting, shooting and “nothing to do.” In 2009, they built their retirement home in Brashear, Missouri where he resided till his death. Tom enjoyed hunting, shooting & reloading, golfing, canoeing, hiking and reading.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 26, 2024, at the Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home, Kirksville, Missouri.

Memorials in memory of Thomas are suggested to the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements in the care of Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home; www.davisplaylehudsonrimer.com.