Thomas Manley

FARGO -- Thomas (Tom) Manley, 80, Fargo, died July 24, 2003, at a Fargo nursing home. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Fargo. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Fargo.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo, where a Masonic service will be held at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour before services at the church.

Tom was born July 31, 1922, in Fargo, the son of Ralph and Lillian (Stearns) Manley. He was raised and educated in Fargo, graduating from Fargo Central High School in 1941 and then attended Moorhead State. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and received his honorable discharge in 1946.

He was united in marriage with Lorraine Coleman on Aug. 17, 1952, in Fargo, where they lived and raised two children. Tom worked for the Fargo Public Schools as a physical education teacher and coach at Hawthorne and Roosevelt elementary schools from 1950 to 1954, Fargo Central High School from 1954 to 1967 and Fargo South High School from 1967 until retiring in 1984. He truly enjoyed working with the young people he taught and coached, while becoming a friend and mentor to many of them.

He coached boys swimming, diving and tennis for over 30 years and received many state and regional coaching honors for his work with the young people he admired. His induction into the N.D. Coaches Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Fargo South Hall of Fame in 2002, were major highlights in his life. He started off as the only swim coach in North Dakota and became a major influence in building and promoting swimming to it's current level in our state. For this he earned the honorary title of the "Father of High School Swimming" by his athletes, peers and fellow coaches.

Tom was a longtime member of many service organizations: American Legion, VFW, Eagles, Elks, the Eastgate Masonic Lodge and the El Zagal Shrine, and held many positions and duties. He was also a lifelong member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, serving many terms on the church council.

Tom truly loved spending time with family and friends, but the time he spent with his grandchildren playing games, talking, telling stories and jokes, while watching them grow, was the most special.

He kept busy by walking to Fargo South to watch the occasional swimming meet or tennis match and getting caught up in the excitement. To relax, there was nothing like a great Louis L'Amour novel.

Tom's family would like to thank all of Tom's caregivers at Bethany and MeritCare, for taking extra special care of him during this time.

He is survived by his wife, Lorraine, Fargo; his daughter, Kathy (John) Kulink, Mapleton; his son, Ralph (Colleen) Manley, Bismarck; and his grandchildren, John (Jake) Kulink, Cole Davis, Brian Kulink, Aaron Kulink, Myla Kulink, Rachel Manley, Curt Manley and Breanna Manley.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Lillian Manley; and his sister, Bettyann Murray.