Josie Manning

Josie (Klassen) Manning, 92, of Lubbock, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.  Josie was born on April 2, 1931, in El Paso, Texas, to the late John Klassen and Mamie (Morris) Klassen.

She attended high school in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico, graduating with the senior class of 1949.  Following high school, she attended the University of New Mexico and later went to an airline school in Kansas City, Missouri.

Josie met the love of her life, Rodney LeRoy Manning, and they were united in marriage on December 6, 1953, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Her husband preceded her in death on January 4, 2019.

Josie worked for Continental Airlines communications department as a radio operator in Denver, Colorado and then transferred to Albuquerque, New Mexico where she worked in the reservation office.  After marrying Rod, she became a devoted housewife to her husband and a wonderful mother to her children.  She loved to read novels and fiction, was a bird watcher, loved dogs, her kids and her grandkids.  She also loved to do ceramics in her early years of marriage.  Josie was a member of Oakwood Methodist Church since 2008.

Those left to honor and cherish her memory include one daughter, Kathy Horne and her husband Russell of Lubbock, Texas; two sons, Dr. John Manning and his wife Terri of Troy, Texas; Patrick Manning and his wife Ronda of Wetumpka, Alabama; one brother, David Klassen and his wife Jan of Abilene, Texas; one sister, Amie Ferrin and her husband Larry of Silver City, New Mexico; a brother in law, Bud Kootz of Denver, Colorado; 13 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one son, Kevin Manning, a sister, Maggie Kootz, a brother-in-law, Frank Biggs, a brother, Al Klassen, and a sister-in-law, Betty Klassen.

She will be buried next to her husband in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia at a later date and services will be held for her at that time.  As there will be no services locally, the family requests any donations in her memory be made to the Sacramento Camp and Conference Center, 106 Assembly Circle, Sacramento, NM 88347.

Cremation arrangements were under the personal care and direction of Combest Family Funeral Homes and Crematory.