Leon Lucien Maniez

Leon Lucien Maniez, age 73, passed away on August 15, 2016 in Bellingham, WA due to complications from vascular dementia. He is survived by his wife Susan, of Bellingham, and daughters Erica (Seattle) and Michelle (Vancouver, WA). Leon was born on May 29, 1943 in Lesquin, France. After attending school, he found work with an industrial crane company, which sent him to exotic locales like Greece and Ghana to supervise installations. Leon was working on the Intalco installation in Ferndale, WA when he met Susan Haug. The two were married on June 8, 1968. Leon worked for Intalco until 1969, when he was transferred to the fledgling Eastalco Aluminum Company near Frederick, Maryland. Leon and Susan made their home in Jefferson, MD and raised daughters Erica and Michelle there. Leon attended night school in order to earn both a Bachelor's and Master's degree. He was also a committed community volunteer. For more than a decade he volunteered for the Frederick County Red Cross chapter, teaching thousands of people First Aid and CPR and earning the chapter's Volunteer of the Year award more than once. He was also an active member of the Frederick Vo-Tech College Advisory Board, and coached youth soccer. After his retirement from Eastalco in 2003, Leon and Susan moved back to the Bellingham area. Leon will be remembered for his goofy sense of humor, his strong work ethic, and his compassion for others. In addition to his wife and daughters, Leon is survived by siblings Pierre Maniez, Roger Maniez, and twin Gilberte Maniez Legrain (all of France), by son-in-law Jon Miner (Seattle) and grandchildren Dylan and Conrad Miner. He was predeceased by his parents, Georges Maniez and Henriette Sury Maniez, as well as a sister, Georgette Maniez Desbonnet. A tribute to Leon will be held at Jern's Funeral Chapel in Bellingham (800 Sunset Drive, Bellingham) on Saturday, August 27, starting at 11 AM. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Western Maryland Chapter of the Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/local/maryland-delaware/chapters/wmd), or to your local Red Cross chapter. Special thanks to Whatcom County Hospice and the staff of the Bellingham at Orchard for their care and support.