Thomas A. Manion

1934 - 2018

Thomas A. Manion

De Pere - Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Dr. Thomas A. Manion, Ph.D., passed away after a brief illness on June 26, 2018. Tom was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 10, 1934 to Thomas A. Manion, Sr. and Mary Manion (nee Reardon). He was an army veteran of the Korean War, and on the G.I Bill earned his BBA from St. Bonaventure University, his MBA in management and finance from Boston College, and his Ph.D. in economics from Clark University.

He met the love of his life Maureen and they married on Cape Cod in 1959. They settled down in Rhode Island where he was Provost at Bryant College. They moved their family to Albany, New York in 1973 where he served as president of the College of Saint Rose for the next ten years.

In 1983, they moved to De Pere as he assumed the position as the president of St. Norbert College. Tom and his wife, Maureen - a member of the college's political science faculty - devoted themselves unselfishly to the betterment of the college and to improving the college's profile and reputation during his 17 years as president and since then as president emeritus. He served as chair of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges & Universities board, as well as the Midwest Region of the International Association of University Presidents. He served on the board of directors for the American Council on Education and the Association of Catholic Colleges & Universities. He was also involved in the community, serving on the boards of the Green Bay Packers, Associated Bank, and St. Vincent's Hospital.

Tom was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He cared deeply about his family, guiding them in all aspects of their lives with his love, humor, kindness, gentle spirit, and faith. He will always be an unfailing source of strength and inspiration for his family.

He will be sadly missed and joyfully remembered by his wife of 59 years Maureen Manion nee O'Meara, his children Gregory (Joanne); Marcella (Michael) O'Malley; Andrew (Amy); Margaret Close; Christine (John) Manion Reiss; Victoria (Gary) Fleming; Thomas III (Jennifer) and his grandchildren Shauna, Kerry (John), Bridgid, & Jillian; Michael Tom & Grainne O'Malley; Jack (Olivia), Kevin, & Clare; Patrick, Mary, Michael, & Katie Close; Thomas Owen Manion & Noah Reiss; Isabelle & Rosemary Fleming; Emily, Max, & Mason.

Friends may call at RYAN FUNERAL HOME 305 N. Tenth Street, De Pere from 4:00PM - 7:00PM Thursday June 28, 2018, with a prayer service and time of sharing at 6:30PM. Visitation will continue after 9:30AM Friday at Old St. Joseph Catholic Church, on the St. Norbert College campus until 10:30AM. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00AM with Fr. James Nielson O.Praem. officiating.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at St. Vincent's Hospital for their loving care of Tom. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Manion Family Scholarship at St. Norbert College.