Negaunee- Donald T. Manning, age 80 of 235 North Rd. Negaunee, passed away unexpectedly Saturday, September 19, 2009 at the Bell Hospital in Ishpeming.

Donald was born April 3, 1929 in Negaunee to the late Wilfred & Florence (Spencer) Manning. At age 16 he joined the United States Navy serving during World War II being stationed on the USS Iowa and USS New York. In the 1950's he was an underground iron ore miner at the Tracy Mine. He owned Manning Motors in the 1960's which was a car dealership, body shop & gas station. In the 1970's Donald was a self employed licensed building contractor and a jack of all trades who could fix anything for anybody & was always willing to teach others. He also was a landlord of several rental properties. Don never planed to retire, he always enjoyed being busy.

Don was a life long member of the Good News Assembly of God Church in Ishpeming where he was active in many church functions.

In Don's earlier years, he traveled with the church building program doing mission work building churches in Eagle River, Alaska and Africa. He always had an uplifting positive attitude with an unending faithfulness to serve, do God's work & witness to all he met of God's love for them.

He was a devoted husband, father, & grandfather who always made time for his family. His grandchildren's favorite play time was wrestling with Gramps!

Don enjoyed singing & playing his guitar, hunting & fishing with his children & grandchildren. He was a wonderful & colorful story teller who loved to joke & pick nicknames for his friends. One of his famous expressions was, "What a beauty"! He could be found on any given morning "at the round table" at Beef-A-Roo with the guys solving the World's problems.

Don is survived by his wife Norma (Holappa) Manning, whom he married June 2, 1951, 2 children: Sheri Ann (Michael) Millsap of San Rafael, CA, Donald S. Manning of Newberry, 5 grandchildren: Damon (Julia) Gardner, Derek Gardner, Shawn Jackson, Michele (Carl) Black and Samantha Nickerson, 3 great grandchildren: Khavren Gardner, Noel Rose Gardner and Madelyn Black. Don was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Francis and a sister Esther and a daughter Dawn Susan.

A visitation will be held at the Good News Assembly of God Church in Ishpeming on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 from 10:00am until 12:00 noon with funeral services to be held at 12:00 noon with Pastor Robby Gitzel officiating. Interment will take place at the Negaunee Cemetery.

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 380 will conduct Military Honors at the conclusion of the funeral at the church.