Funeral services for Mrs. Jo Ellen Newton Manley, 81, of Monroe, LA, formerly of Oak Grove, LA will be held Monday, August 14, 2017, at 10:00 am at North Monroe Baptist Church with Pastors Bill Dye and Warren Eckhardt officiating. Interment will immediately follow the services at Mulhearn Memorial Park Mausoleum under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
Mrs. Manley passed away peacefully on Friday, August 11, 2017, at her residence with her family at her side. She had fought a courageous seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s. Mrs. Manley was a charter member of North Monroe Baptist Church. She attended Oak Grove High School where she was a member of the women’s state championship basketball team in the early 1950’s. Mrs. Manley was a stay-at-home mom when her children were younger. She worked part-time for several years for Green Brothers and Flav-O-Rich dairies and was later employed by the Ouachita Parish School System where she retired after 25 years as a bus driver.
Family was extremely important to Mrs. Manley. She married the love of her life, Herbert Manley, at age 16 and was happily married for 65 years. She was a loving wife, daughter, mother, sister, grandmother and friend. Mrs. Manley was a wonderful cook and nothing pleased her more than cooking for her family and friends.
Survivors include her husband, Herbert Manley; son, Greg Manley and wife, Nancy; daughter, Cindy Allen and husband, Ben. Grandchildren include Michelle Manley Crow and husband Will; Greg Manley Jr and wife, Kelli; Tavis Allen, and Trent Allen. Great grandchildren are Charlotte Crow, Cale Crow, Kinsley Beth Manley and Joanna Grace Manley. Mrs. Manley is also survived by two sisters, Marie Cullever and Sheila Crosby and husband Rayborn Eugene along with a number of nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Manley was preceded in death by her parents, William Percy and Gladys Newton; and three brothers, David Newton, Bill Newton and John Robert Newton; and one brother-in-law, John Cullever.
Pallbearers will be Greg Manley, Jr., Will Crow, Kevin Crosby, Todd Newton, Randy Manley, Lane Thompson, and Dennis Thompson.
Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Sunday, August 13 at Mulhearn Funeral Home, Sterlington Road, Monroe.
The family wishes to extend much gratitude to Mrs. Manley’s caretakers: Brenda Harris, Rochelle May, Margie Ausberry, Kimberly Benton, Shon Wafer, and Susan Reynolds along with St. Joseph’s Hospice. The family would also like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Greg Green for the great care he gave to Mrs. Manley during this illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to North Monroe Baptist Church Building Fund, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the charity of your choice.
Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com