Lester E. Manley, 77 years old of Decatur, Indiana, passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2012 in St. Joseph Hospital located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was born on Thursday, July 5, 1934 in Adams County, Indiana the son of the late Chauncey O. Manley and the late Mary M. (Julian) Manley. He married Audrey E. Gephart on October 9, 1955 in Adams County, Indiana. A 1953 Graduate of Pleasant MIlls High School, also Lester attended Pleasant Mills United Methodist Church. He retired from Navistar in September of 2005 with forty-seven years of service. Surviving are his wife, Audrey E. Manley of Decatur, Indiana; daughter, Carolyn (Randy) Hower of Decatur, Indiana; daughter, Barbara (Dennis) Dellinger of Jackson, Michigan; daughter, LeAnn (John) Marbach of Decatur, Indiana; son, Gerald (Linda) Manley of Reno, Nevada; sister, Mildred Wolfe of Berne, Indiana; sister, Marcile (Leonard) King of Decatur, Indiana; brother, Kenneth Manley of Decatur, Indiana; and sister, Velma (Jim) Penrod of Bluffton, Indiana. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren; Kari (Troy) Burkholder, Jamie (Jeff) Elzey, Amie Manley, Jody (Robb) Wilson, Michael (Emily) Hower, Timothy (Carley) Hower, Collette Agler, Graham Dellinger, Meghan Marbach, Amanda Marbach & Lukas Marbach and six great-grandchildren; Braxton Wilson, Owen Lee, Adelyn Hower, Aleena Hower, Gideon Hower & Moses Hower. Preceding Lester in death were a son; Gary Manley in 1984, six sisters; Violet Roe, Jean Cook, Edna Manley, Mable Miller, Lois Kaufman & Esther Cook and two brothers; Glen & Richard Manley. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 1, 2012 in the Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home with Pastor Michelle Isch officiating. Interment will follow in the Decatur Cemetery. Friends will be received from 1 to 4 & 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, February 29 in the Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home, Decatur. Preferred memorials are to the Bread of Life Food Pantry through the Monroe United Methodist Church.
