Beloved family patriarch, WW II vet 1942-1945, LILCO Supervisor

Thomas Daniel Manning, 90, of Mountain Lakes, NJ, died peacefully at home with his family at his side on May 13, 2010. Born in Floral Park, NY on September 7, 1919 he grew up in Southampton, raised a family in Baldwin and moved to Massapequa, NY. In 1987 he moved to Mountain Lakes, NJ to be near his grandchildren.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and uncle, Tom, is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Charlotte; 3 daughters: Pamela Whitney (Tim) of Flagstaff, AZ, Cherry Beth Manning of Charlotte, NC, and Charlotte Ella Kalb of Mountain Lakes; grandchildren: Rebecca, Daniel, and Elizabeth, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

A 45 year veteran of LILCO, he started as a lineman before enlisting in the Navy in 1942. He returned to LILCO after the war using the GI bill to get his degree in Business at Hofstra University. He retired in 1983 as Vice President of Lines and Materials.

Tom volunteered for the Navy in 1942. His skills were a perfect fit for the newest arm of the Navy, the Seabees. As a member of the 1st Naval Construction Battalion he spent 22 months at Port Vila, New Hebrides building an air strip and hospital to support the attack on Japanese controlled Guadalcanal. After returning to the US he was assigned to the 5th Battalion and sent back overseas, first to the Philippines and then to Balikpapan, Borneo. In 1945 he was honorably discharged from the Navy but he remained a Seabee at heart, ever proud of his service to his country.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, June 5, 2010, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 215 Boulevard, Mountain Lakes, NJ at 1:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

Arrangements were by Mackey Funeral Home, 107 Essex Ave. Boonton.