In Memory of Eugene Wesley Manton

b. April 9, 1956 – d. June 14, 2022 (Age 66)

I met Gene in 1977, not long after I married Lettie (now known to friends as Windy). Over the years, Gene changed — physically and otherwise. From what I understand, he was around 150 pounds in high school, but by the time I saw photos of him before he passed, he was looking rough. He’d been battling heart failure for years, likely brought on by long-untreated sleep apnea. Many of us — myself included — tried to convince him he had it, but it wasn’t until about a decade before his death that he finally believed it. He made some attempts to follow his doctor’s advice, but it wasn’t until the final stretch of his life that he truly started listening. Sadly, by then it was too late.

Gene was an interesting character. He could be a great friend, but he had his quirks. Jay once quoted him saying, “The cats are up here,” while holding his hand high, “and you’re down here,” with a gesture you can probably imagine. That was Gene — blunt, opinionated, and often unapologetic.

His favorite state of being? Unemployed. But if there’s something beyond this life, I hope he’s finally having a better experience than he did here.

I’ll admit, I played a role in a co-dependent dynamic with Gene — much like I did with Bob. He leaned on me for everything: fixing things, writing letters, even wanting me to play lawyer (which I never did). I’ve since worked through those patterns, but it took me far too long to recognize them.

Rest in peace, Gene. You were one of a kind.