Donald Manns

Donald Thomas Manns Sr., 77, of Belvidere Illinois, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at OSF Saint Anthony Hospital in Rockford, Illinois. He was born in Cuzzie, West Virginia, to Arthur and Gladys (Cresong) Manns on October 06, 1942. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Homer and Wiley Manns, his three sisters, Lucille Copley, Louise Copley, Mary Craddock and his wife of 37 years, Frances (Swann) Manns. He is survived by one son, Donald Manns Jr., and five daughters, Kimberly (Al) Sayler, Jill Darnell, Angelia (Darrell) Breeland, Tonia (Jesus) Rodriguez, and Traci (Daniel) Ankebrant, 15 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
He never did anything super extraordinary in his life — he didn’t win a Nobel Prize or climb the corporate ladder up to the top. He didn’t have the opportunity for much formal education; he became a father at 17. He dropped out of school and worked any odd jobs he could find starting at an early age until he settled in on being a security officer when moving to Chicago. He worked hard his whole life as a security officer and an armored truck driver for Wells Fargo to provide for his family.  He liked simple things, like pinto beans, fried potatoes, and cornbread, watching sports on tv while eating burnt popcorn that had been cooked on the stove, and he had an unbelievable sweet tooth! He was good with numbers and put that skill to use gambling, playing the lottery, and calculating odds for the races.
He was a big man with a big heart who loved his family, who took great pride in all of us. Most of all, he loved to make people laugh; he was always cracking a joke. He provided that fun element in ordinary everyday life. When he smiled, he smiled with his whole face. His face lit up, and there was this mischievous laugh he had. I definitely can see him telling his jokes and laughing in heaven, and we will love and miss him. He has left a piece of him within all of us.

Private family services will be held.
 

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