Thomas Dean Manges

In Memory of Thomas Dean Manges

Thomas Dean Manges - 70, passed from this life Monday, March 30th, 2020, only five and a half short months after Janice Ellen (Berndt) Manges, his great love of time and eternity, October of last year to whom he was married for over 50 years.

Thomas was born April 11th, 1949 to Dean Lamar and Betty Marie Manges in Mishawaka, Indiana. He was the oldest of 6 children.

Thomas truly missed his eternal companion Janice Ellen (Berndt) Manges and passed from an apparent broken heart after her unexpected death October 10th, 2019 and nearly 6 months of separation. Other loved ones who passed from this life before Thomas were, his son Bart Jacob Manges (16), a year ago his mother Betty Marie Jones, and years preceding father Dean Lamar Manges, step-father Benjamin H. Jones, step-mothers Barbara Manges and Constance (Connie) Manges, uncle Paul Junior Bailey, and Sister-in-law Collette (Hank) Woolley. Notably Hank Woolley of Vandalia, MI his longtime friend and brother-in-law passed only two days after him. Thomas is survived by his 8 children Tamara (Ed) Selee of Dallas, TX, Jill (Mike) Hasleton of Pleasant Grove, UT, Barry (Jennifer) Manges of Pleasant Grove, UT, Anita (Robert) Anderton of Springville, UT, Brad Manges of Idaho Falls, ID, Adam (Jennifer) Manges of Lehi, UT, Alex (Mandy) Manges of Spanish Fork, UT, and Tara (Chris) Nicewander of Hutchinson, KS; 36 grandchildren Jonathan (Bayley) Selee of Carrollton, TX, Dillon (Jessica) Selee, of Tulsa, OK, Ryan Selee, of Pleasant Grove, UT, Carson Selee of Dallas, TX, Jared (Kelsie) Hasleton of Springville, UT, Brittney Hasleton of Pleasant Grove, UT, Emily (Dallin) Cahoon of Salt Lake City, UT, Aurin Manges of Orem, UT, Stockton Manges of Pleasant Grove, Kimee Manges of Pleasant Grove, UT, Taylor (Kristen) Griffiths of Provo, UT, Shelby Griffiths (Josh) of Orem, UT, Brandon Griffiths of Pleasant Grove, UT, Bryan, Jacob, McKenna, Kenneth, Jessica, Victoria, Hunter, Kyle, Eric, Haylie, and Elysia Anderton, of Springville, UT, Hayden, Emmitt, and Violet Manges of Idaho Falls, ID, Caleb, Kendyle, Clyde, and Keith Manges of Lehi, Utah, Weston and Ethan Manges of Spanish Fork, UT, and Marcus and Lakin Thiel, and Madison Nicewander of Hutchinson, KS; and 3 great grandchildren, Daniel Selee, Olivia Hasleton, and Mason Selee; brothers and sisters, David (Rosie) Manges of Fayetteville, PA, Jack (Polly) Manges of Bremen, IN, Steven (Susie) Manges of South Bend, IN, Diane (Craig) Cummins of Mishawaka, IN, and Paul (Irene) Jones of Stevensville, MI; his brother-in-law Phil (Darlene) Berndt of South Bend, Indiana; he is also survived by his great aunts Nancy Bailey of Lake of the Woods, Bremen, IN, and Barbara Bailey of Plymouth, IN, and many much loved nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Thomas was born in Mishawaka, Indiana. A tall thin young man he was instantly drawn to every kind of learning. One of his life long and favorite past times was playing chess, he enjoyed many different types of board and role-playing games. A love that he shared with and passed on to his family which brought countless moments of joy, laughter, and lifting of heavy hearts. He attended Riley High School in South Bend, IN where he was an honor student also earning a letter in marching band, playing the trombone. There he encountered two of the great passions of his life in the same place. The first and most important was meeting the wonderful woman who became his loving wife for over 50 years, Janice Ellen Berndt, and Spanish class was the place and a second love. After High School Tom and Jan met up at a dance and after a courtship of two years were married on August 9, 1969. Together they loved to play tennis and also bowled often, earning many trophies in the league in which they played. Immediately after HS graduation in 1967 Thomas enrolled in Indiana University in South Bend and gained his associate degree. He finished at the Bloomington, IN campus with a double major in English and Spanish Bachelor’s degree in 1971. Directly following this he earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from 1971-1975 also at Indiana University, Bloomington. During this time Tom and Jan were blessed with 3 children, 2 beautiful girls and a precocious boy. An industrious and devoted provider, he worked a full-time job and took a full complement of 18-20 hours of classes most semesters through his college years. On August 9, 1974 a hinge point in the life of Tom and Jan, they were baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One year later on August 9, 1975, they were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Oakland, California Temple. After his intense schooling Thomas entered the United States Air Force as a Captain and an Optometrist, he served active duty from 1975-1992. This took he and his growing family to many places including California, Germany, back to Indiana, Oregon and Kansas. Serving in the military on Edwards, Grissom, Wiesbaden, and McConnel US Air Force bases. Additionally, Thomas earned 3 Master’s degrees at the same time, from 1983-1985. He asked for and was granted the opportunity to receive Master’s in Optometry and Clinical Optics at Pacific university and Spanish at Portland State, all at the same time. Thomas loved learning and sought spiritual and secular education his entire life, of most value to him in life was his merry band of children and his extremely supportive and dedicated wife. Through the years Tom was blessed to receive 2 more beautiful girls and 4 more precocious boys into his life, bringing the total to 9 children. He served faithfully in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as a teacher, missionary, adult instructor and in many other capacities. The knowledge he possessed of the redeemer and Savior of the world, even Jesus Christ, brought him comfort in the wake of family members who passed on and through the many challenges and vicissitudes of life. His faith lifted others as he shared it through endless service.

We are grateful and blessed to have been raised in a faith filled home and have come to know this reserved tender-hearted and gentle man who never gave up in life and is received by the Lord Jesus Christ as he stepped through the doors of death. May we remember him as the good man he was, as he often would hum his favorite songs with a calm and compassionate smile. Sleep well husband, father, brother, friend, and scholar, until we meet again at Jesus’ feet.

There will be an online memorial service for Thomas Manges Saturday, April 11th (his 71st birthday) @ 1:00p.m. Eastern time (12:00p.m. in TX, 11:00a.m. in UT, 10:00a.m. Pacific time).

Link to be posted soon.