John Philip "Doc" Manges

"There's no point in being grown up if you can't be childish sometimes"
-Tom Baker, Dr. Who

Throughout his life, John sought to maintain his youthful spirit while inspiring mature values in his children and friends. He was very passionate about his hobbies and knew the joy of collecting, refurbishing and sharing his model train sets and other childhood playthings. The train sets are on permanent display on the top floor of the "band barn," and last year he restored the shiny red car he pedaled around in as a toddler for his beautiful 17–month-old granddaughter, Sofia. He also delighted in adding to the library and stamp collections he began as a youth.

John "Doc" Manges was born on September 17, 1953 in South Bend, Indiana. He passed away suddenly of a heart attack on May 23, 2015 while leading his 'Vette Club on a cruise through a scenic area east of Atlanta. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jackie Manges; his two daughters, Michelle and Sandy and their spouses, Stefan Earnhardt and Kevin Wolfe, as well as one granddaughter, Sofia Earnhardt, all of the Atlanta area; a brother, Victor Manges, of St. Louis; and his parents, Earl and Virginia, of Bremen, Indiana. A gentle, loving, family-oriented man, he cared deeply about others, and worked hard to ensure that all were fully enjoying themselves, no matter what the venue. Since he was an accomplished drummer whose equipment was most difficult to transport, he took much pleasure in hosting weekly band practices as well as Pool Nights and numerous memorable holiday celebrations. He planned 'Vette Cruises for the club, preparing informational packets for all the participants with historical and little-known facts about their stops along the way. He was passionate about many things – his lovingly restored '79 Corvette, his drums, his work, his extensive collections and his beloved cats. He and his loving wife Jackie completed many projects together to enhance their outdoor living area and shared many nature moments, ranging from rainstorms and waterfalls to the varied wildlife in their back yard, especially the river otters.

John loved electronics of all kinds, even as a young boy, and parlayed that interest into a profession. He wrote computer programs at Primerica, in Duluth, GA, where he was a loyal employee for the past 28 years. He took pride in his position of Senior Lead Application Developer, and enjoyed working on projects of all kinds with his fellow team members.

John has enriched our lives in many ways and has left us with a million memories and a lasting legacy of tangible treasures. He is now at rest and we hold him close within us. Please hold him near, as we do, in your mind and your spirit.