Farno Clark 'Bud' Manning

Mr. Farno Clark "Bud" Manning, 100, of Merigold, passed away Monday, October 19, 2015, at North Sunflower Medical Center. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 22, 2015, at Ray Funeral Home. A second visitation will be 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2015, at Merigold Baptist Church. Celebration of Life services will immediately follow at 2:00 p.m. Friday at the church with Rev. Bobby Turner officiating, assisted by Rev. Jimmy Breland. Interment will follow in Merigold City Cemetery. Mr. Manning was born in Drew, MS, on September 23, 1915, to George Warren Manning and Mattie Hughes Manning. He graduated from Moorhead Junior College (Mississippi Delta Community College), and then attended Bowling Green Business College, where he met his wife. On December 25, 1936, he married Flora Virginia Gibson in Jenkins, KY. He was a member of Merigold Baptist Church and served as a Deacon of the church for over sixty years.
Over his long life, Mr. Manning engaged in many areas of farming. Early on, he raised chickens, guineas, turkeys, cows, pigs, mules, an extensive garden, and cotton. While his children were growing up, he also operated a dairy farm and subsequently raised beef cattle. Eventually, he turned primarily to goats, rice, and soybeans. He and his wife loved attending sports events, from games his children and grandchildren played in to Delta State basketball and an occasional professional game. They also enjoyed traveling across country to visit relatives and friends. He looked forward to every hunting season. He never met a stranger and enjoyed telling tales. He loved his animals. He always had one horse or another named Charlie. His herd of goats would come running at his call from a half a mile away. And up until the week before his death, his five Great Pyrenees competed for his affection. He is preceded in death by his parents, George Warren Manning and Mattie Hughes Manning; wife, of 71 years, Flora Virginia Gibson Manning; daughter, Patricia Ann Ford; brothers, G.W. Manning, Jr., Roy Manning, Sr., and Malcolm Manning, Sr.; and sisters, Doris Manning, Bonnie Walker, Mattie Lee Smith, and Mona Lyon. Mr. Manning is survived by his daughters, Shirley Lou Patterson (Rex) of Randolph, Carol Sue Manning of Merigold, and Nancy Jean Dodd (Howard) of Newport, VA; son, Clark Gibson Manning (Jackie) of Cleveland; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Andrew Beard, Clark Beard, Jacob Beard, James Beard, Brent Branning, Jack Price, and Greg Taylor. Honorary pallbearers will be Lon Booker, Quitman DeLoach, Gary Tinley Gibson, Malcolm Manning, Jr., and John Sanderson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Merigold Baptist Church P.O. Box N Merigold, MS 38759, or to the Mississippi Community College Development Foundation P.O. Box 710 Moorhead, MS 38761 for the Farno Manning Scholarship Fund.

First Visitation

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, October 22, 2015
Ray Funeral Home 206 Bishop Road Cleveland, Mississippi, United States

Second Visitation

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Friday, October 23, 2015
Merigold Baptist Church 123 Front Street Merigold, Mississippi, United States 38759

Celebration of Life

2:00 pm Friday, October 23, 2015
Merigold Baptist Church 123 Front Street Merigold, Mississippi, United States 38759

Interment

3:00 pm Friday, October 23, 2015
Merigold Cemetery Dillion Road Merigold, Mississippi, United States