Obituary of Headley Manners

BIOGRAPHY MANNERS ~ Headley Thomas Manners passed away peacefully at the Lloydminster Hospital, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at the age of 84 years. Headley will be sadly missed by his wife Grace Manners of Lloydminster; daughter Elaine and Rick Mallett of Lloydminster; son Roy and Laurie Manners of Lloydminster; five grandchildren: Jeremy and Kerri Ellis, David Ellis, Sara Manners, Tom Manners, Theresa Manners; one sister: Eileen Hill; one brother: Bob and Lynn Manners as well as numerous other relatives. The funeral service was conducted from the Lloydminster Gospel Fellowship, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Saturday, September 26, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Harold Martin officiating. The eulogy was read by Jim Manners. The hymns sung were "Amazing Grace," "Morning Has Broken" and "I Stand Amazed." The active pallbearers were Headley's grandchildren: Jeremy Ellis, Kerri Ellis, David Ellis, Sara Manners, Tom Manners and Theresa Manners. Interment took place in the Lloydminster City Cemetery. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster, Alberta administered the funeral arrangements. EULOGY ~ Headley Thomas Manners Good morning, I'm Jim Manners, Headley's nephew, and it is my privilege to be asked to speak about the interesting life of my Uncle Headley. Before I start, I would like to say that I am acutely aware of the trust placed upon me by the family and I thank them for that. Headley was a lover of a good story, and many of those stories have been inserted here into these words by various family members. Headley Thomas Manners was born October 14, 1924 in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan to Headley and Florence Manners. It was harvest time in Southminster, when Headley Thomas Manners decided to arrive. The new mother, Florence Manners wanted to finish getting the meals together for the harvesters, but the neighbor ladies took over and the new father, Headley James Manners drove the eight miles into town to the hospital over the bumpiest frozen ground possible. Florence (Grannie?) Never forgot that ride, and loved to tell that story. Five years later, Sister Eileen arrived in March 1929. At this time the family lived on the 'Frazer Place'. In 1930 the family moved to the home place six miles south and a mile east of Lloydminster where that house is still located. Headley's younger brother Bob, my dad, was born in August 1936. Headley started school at Southminster for grades one to grade eight. During these school years, Headley rode horse back. One winter Headley found himself following a Sleigh and occupants on the road. Since Headley's horse liked to step out it didn't take long for Headley and his horse to catch up to the sleigh pulled by the more docile horse. However when Headley and his mount came alongside the sleigh its horse decided to step right along with them, and the driver lost control. The upset kids in the sleigh were saved when their big brother came along, who stopped the horse and gave Headley a good talking to for causing the sleigh horse to race. This story always brought a good laugh. Headley went on to high school in Lloydminster. In good weather Headley rose his bicycle to high school and in winter he roomed with cousins Fran and Don Manners at Hird's Cabins. Later Headley and Don Manners and Don Alwood and Anthony Bourne shared the same accommodation. There are lots of stories about food and roommates, with parents supplying the baking and groceries to share through to the next weekend. Of course the roommates supplied the rough housing and occasionally there were complaints from residents in the next-door cabins. Headley would grin about the story of biking to school. He liked to see how far he could ride without touching the handle bars, and Highway 17 was just a dirt road at that time, so when a car came up behind him, the driver was NOT impressed with the fool hardy display of biking and wasn't backward about telling Headley so! Headley had a love for sports which began when he was batboy for his uncle's baseball team in the mid 30's. These uncles were Headley's mother's brothers - the well-known Lampitt baseball team that played out of the Thomasville District south of Blackfoot. Headley was always involved in sports. In school he played on the Southminster Hockey Team and played fastball for Southminster. Of course if you know anything about the Manners then you know that Curling was the favorite sport. Headley began curling at the Southminster Community Curling Club in early 1950's and in 1963 moved into a Lloydminster Curling League. In 1980 the team of Ron Nattress, Ron Hardy and Don Christie together with Headley won the local Zone senior play downs, the Northern Alberta senior play downs and the Provincial Senior Men's title, which qualified them to go to the Dominion Senior Men's Championship in St. John, New Brunswick. This was a highlight of the curling career. Once Headley quit curling, he kept active with golfing and then bowling. Following high school, in the late 1940's, Headley went to work on the oil rigs for Charlie Mills company, Northern Development. One summer day during this time Bob biked out to the oil rig Headley was working on to show his big brother his 'cool' brush cut. Bob called Headley SAM in front of some of the other rig workers and the name stuck! Even Grace called Headley Sam! And when the curling team was down in St. John, Headley was registered as Sam Manners, and that was the name on his name tag. I'm sure he got a kick out of having the "wrong" nickname pinned on his chest. Later Headley pumped wells with his Dad, and once he purchased some land, Headley and his Dad farmed together. On November 21, 1959, Headley married Grace Deffey. It would have been their 50th Wedding Anniversary this November. They began their life together on the 'Sweet Farm' where they lived in a teacherage that they bought and moved to their home place. Elaine arrived in 1960 and Roy in 1963. In 1964 they built their present home. When Roy was about 3 ½ years, old Grandad took him along to pump wells because Headley was harvesting. Grandad Manners and grandson Roy got over to an oil well north of Stephens where the pump had quit. When Grandad asked Roy what Headley had said the first time the well quit pumping, Roy piped up that his Dad said J.C. and then got out and fixed it! Roy said the real J.C. words, but Grandad, when he related the story to Grace said, J.C.! There was always colourful language around Headley. In the late 1960's father Headley Manners sold his land to Headley and to Bob. Headley and Bob farmed together until they realized they each had sons who wanted to farm, so they split the livestock and machinery and each continued to manage his own operation. Headley and Roy farmed and worked together until 2005. These years included spring seeding, harvest meals in the field with family, friends and relatives who were able to help out, and share in Grace's good cooking. There are lots of stories about the wonderful harvest meals in the field, with Sheldon DeBoice, Harry Perkins, and Cliff Johnson and later with Roy and Laurie and the grandchildren. Travel included camping trips with the family to fishing spots and swimming holes! Later Headley and Grace enjoyed bus tours in Canada and the U.S. On one of several trips they made to Laughlin, their hotel was right on the river shore. They could look out the window and see all the activities on the river. Headley liked to sit in the sun at the edge of the water and watch the fish, pigeons and other birds. He was quite taken with the grapefruit tree growing right beside the walkway. The five grandchildren brought a whole new perspective to the lives of Grace and Headley. They were always happy to have the kids drop in and never shy about stating their opinions about the grandkids antics! Their accomplishments were always praised and every visit was appreciated. Headley appreciated his grandchildren more than they could ever know. Jeremy and David were always at their Grandma and Grandpa's farm. They each have their own special memories of Headley. Jeremy says, "The times I remember most are sitting at the table sharing rig stories." David remembers, "Throughout the many fixing and building projects I undertook over the years, when everyone else would simply tell me I was doing it wrong, Grandpa was always the one who would take the time to show me how to do it right." Tom Manners' words about Headley are: "I'll never forget the many hours I spent by Grandpa's side on the tractor and the many life lessons he taught me." Sara Manners wrote: "I'll always remember Grandpa's arrowhead collection that he had accumulated over the years from the field. Each one had a special story that he would share with me." Theresa Manners' words: "I'll never forget how Grandpa was always more than willing to share his secret chocolate stash with me." Headley leaves to share his memory his loving wife Grace, daughter Elaine and her husband Rick Mallett, and Elaine's sons Jeremy and his wife Kerri Ellis, and David Ellis: son, Roy and his wife Laurie, and their daughter Sara, son Tom and daughter Theresa. His sister Eileen Hill, and daughters Jean and her husband Fred Wishniski, Heather Hill, and Debbie and her husband John Berry and their children Christopher and Laura; brother Bob and his wife Lynn Manners and their children Penny, myself, Jim, Scott and his wife Cheryl and their children Jensen and Sheldon. As well as a large extended family. Headley was pre-deceased by his parents, Headley and Florence Manners and by his brother-in-law, Fred Hill of Calgary. Since this is a memorial service, the obvious part I would like to point out is the part about memory. The best way to remember someone is to put them into context - as part of a story or a moment in time which you shared with them. Thank God then there are so many stories about Headley. Use them to put a smile on your face the way Headley did. And if you get stuck then let these things jog your memory. He was colorful both in language and in action, and a maverick at times. He was a bit of a black sheep, but would go the extra mile to help if he knew you cared. He was a unique man with a huge curiosity about life and interest in people. He loved his family. Thank you. CARD OF THANKS We would like to thank Dr. Vernon, Dr. Govender, nurses and hospital staff for the care and attention given to Headley, while in the hospital. Special thanks to Reverend Martin and McCaw's, the Lloydminster Gospel Fellowship Church and the Church Band. Thanks to Jim for doing the eulogy. The ladies for the delicious lunch after the service. Thanks for all the cards, flowers, donations, food and phone calls. Thanks everyone. Grace Elaine & Rick, Jeremy & Kerri David Roy & Laurie, Sara, Tom & Theresa Donations in memory of Headley may be made to the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation.