Alexander D. Manners

Alexander D. Manners

AGE: 86 • Garnet Valley, PA

Alexander Downs Manners, 86, died peacefully Monday in Palm Beach, FL.

He was born to the late Alexander Downs Manners and Mary MacCrimmon Manners in Philadelphia, PA. He and his wife, Olga Gren Manners were high school sweethearts at John Bartram H.S. in Philadelphia. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on December 18, 2013. They lived for 43 years in North Hills, Wilmington, DE, before moving to Garnet Valley, PA in 2005.

Alex was a proud graduate of Temple University, which he attended on the GI Bill following his service in the U.S. Army, where he served in Japan as a paratrooper just following World War II.

He worked as a salesman and sales trainer for Hallmark Cards until 1973, when he joined his wife in the real estate business. They owned a Century 21 office for a number of years, and he retired from Patterson-Schwartz Real Estate as sales manager and vice president.

Alex was a past member of the New Castle County Board of Realtors and Chester County Board of Realtors, the Optimist's Club in Wilmington and the Wilmington Country Club. He was an avid golfer all his adult life, often playing at Rock Manor in the dead of winter, as well as at the Wilmington Country Club and in Palm Beach. He loved to read, especially his newspapers, particularly the Wall Street Journal. He was an avid sports fan, especially of his hometown teams, the Eagles and the Phillies. He was a quiet, strong, capable and intelligent man, who served as a mentor to many. Alex was immensely proud of his Scottish heritage. He was a true optimist, saying "It's another beautiful day," every day.

He is survived, besides his wife, by five children: Denise Manners Miscavage and her husband, Richard of Lehman, PA; Judith Manners and her husband Dan Raspanti of Downingtown, PA; Susan Manners and her partner Elizabeth Evans of West Chester, PA; Alex Manners of Washington D.C., and Kristina Manners of Wilmington, DE. He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Jeffrey Castellano and his wife Monica of Wilmington, DE; Laura Castellano Richards and her husband Jeffrey of Dallas PA; Karyn Oberman Robinson and her husband Bernard of Wilmington, DE; Jackie Oberman of Brooklyn, NY; Fran Hodgins of West Chester, PA; Isaiah and Marissa Miscavage of Lehman, PA; great grand-daughters Ella Robinson and Grace Richards; sister-in-law Rosa Manners, nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his sister, Molly Dickson, and brothers Robert and William Manners.

Memorial services will be held at 11 am on Thursday April 24, 2014 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Pennsylvania Avenue and Rodney Street, Wilmington. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the American Heart Association. http://donate.heart.org.

For online condolences

please visit

chandlerfuneralhome.com

302.478.7100