Sunrise: October 30,1922

A 1 Sunset: June 16, 2007

Service: Friday, June 22,2 0 0 7

2:0 0 PM

Qpspel W ater Branch Baptist Church 703 Furys Ferry Rd t Evans, 3O8O9
Rev. Robert Ramsey, O fficiating

Obituary
Mrs. Thelma Beard Manning, 84, entered into a peaceful rest on Saturday, June 16, 2007 at Doctors Hospital, Augusta, Georgia.
She accepted Christ as her personal Savior & became a member of Gospel Water Branch Baptist Church. She was the "glue" that held her family together & was a positive influence in her community. She was a spiritual leader in her home & church.
Mrs. Thelma Manning was born on October 30, 1922, to the late Dewey & Estella Smalley Beard in Lincolnton, Georgia. She married the late Felix Manning, II. She was preceded in death by one son, Mr. Felix Manning, III & two of her sisters, Mrs. Lucille Dawkins & Mrs. Ruby Mixon.
She leaves to cherish her memories one son, Mr. Gregory (Ruby) Manning of Augusta, GA; four daughters, Mrs. Earlene (Randolph) Morton, Augusta, GA, Mrs. Nadine (Thomas) Crandall, Somerset, KY, Ms. Sandra Wood, & Ms. Yvonne Rogers both of Atlanta, GA, and a daughter-in-law, Shannon Manning. She leave one aunt, Mrs. Lila Freeman, Augusta, GA & her sister-in-law, Mrs. Nadine Perkins, Birmingham, AL.
Cherishing her memories & missing her hugs are fifteen grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. Paulette Jennings, Philadelphia, PA and Mrs. Johnnie Mae Brooks; one brother, Mr. Willie Beard of Evans, GA. She also leaves to celebrate her life five godchildren, Ms. Miriam Arline, Mrs. Corliss Arnold & Mr. Adrian Abercrombie all of Atlanta, GA; Ms. Renee Garnett, Martinez, GA, and Mr. Moss Elam, Jr. of Augusta, GA.
While Mrs. Manning gave birth to six children who loved her and met her every need, God blessed her to be the mother of many more. We know who you are, but can only name a couple. Her devoted and adopted children are Mrs. Doris (Lonnie) Brown, Augusta, GA & Mr. Napoleon (Evelyn) Smalley, North Carolina.
Her formal education started in Atlanta, GA where she graduated from the historical Booker T. Washington High School and continued to study in the heath care field, accepting her first job as an assistant in a doctor's office. She later served many prominent families in Augusta.
Mrs. Thelma Manning enjoyed traveling first with her late husband, who managed several Negro leagues. She would later meet many Black professional athletes throughout the South; some of whom went on to play professional baseball in the major leagues. Her children made sure she continued to travel throughout much of the US on summer vacations, The Caribbean Islands & Canada Her work on Earth is done.

Order o f Service
Min. Jennie Roberts, Presiding

Processional Selection
Prayer.................... Scripture Readings
Old Testam ent
New Testament
Solo.........................

Gospel Water Branch Baptist Church Choir Min. Marie Dent
Rev. A1 Freeman Proverbs 31: 25-28
Min. Fannie Marie Bennett II Corinthian 5:1-9
..................Min. Doris Garnett

Expressions of Comfort...................... .................. Three minutes please
Church Member...................................... Dea. Ronnie Sadler Neighbor..................................................Elder Marcella Freeman Friend...................................................... Ms. Rosa Mae Johnson Family...................................................... Pro. Thomas Crandall
Obituary..................................................................Please Read Silently

Solo........................

Min. George T. McCord

Acknowledgements

Elder Marcella Freeman

Eulogy....................

Rev. Robert L. Ramsey

Recessional............

Rev. Robert L. Ramsey

Interment: Gospel W ater Branch Memorial Gardens Repast: Gospel W ater Branch Baptist Church
'Peace I leave with you; M y peace I give you; do n ot le t your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

___m _m.
James Stokes Cluese Stokes

Active Pallbearers

Calvin Jennings Eugene Jennings

Freddie Stokes Thomas Jennings

John Jennings Daryl Johnson

Jeffrey M orton Japhus Wood, III

~ Honorary Pallbearers-
Grandsons

Derek Morton

Daryl Manning

Devere Rogers

Franklin Crandall Vincent Manning

- Honorary Flower Bearers & Her Little Angels-

Takiyah Barnes

Lakeisha M orton ^ Tonya Treece

Renee Morton

Shekevia M anning

Yolanda McDowell

Melody Freeman

- Flower Bearers
The GWBBC Senior M inistry
- Acknowledgements-
The Manning family wishes to thank the many doctors and staff at Doctors Hospital, Southern Home Healthcare, Martinez Fire Department, Gold Star Ambulatory Services, Heroines of Jericho, Senior Ministry, Progressive Club Members, her church family & friends for their outstanding acts of kind ness and care, their comforting expressions, prayers, food, flowers, cards, visits, and all other forms of consolation offered during our bereavement. May God continue to bless all of you.
A special & heartfelt thank you to her sisters, Mrs. Johnnie Mae Brooks & Mrs. Paulette Jennings, her nieces, Mrs. Rosa Bryson, Ms. Claudine Taylor, and her cousin Ms. Susie Mae Beard for the many nights you left your bed to sleep in one of hers.

(ProfessionalServices E n tru sted to: H istoric (Dent's U ndertaking <Esta6lisfiment 930 (D'jintianac Street ~Jiuausta, Georaia
(706) 722-4809