Obituary of Dennis Keith Manley

Dennis Keith Manley November 18, 1946 – January 9, 2016 Dennis Keith Manley was born in Olympia, Washington on Nov. 18, 1946 to Dorothy Anita (Wright) Manley and Raymond Claude Manley. Dennis spent his early years in Reedsport, Oregon before moving to the Olympia area and eventually settling on the family’s farm in Evergreen Valley. Before graduating in 1965, Dennis played basketball and quarterback for Yelm High School. From practically the day he was born, he was a connoisseur of music. He played the saxophone and guitar and sang beautifully, earning him a full ride musical scholarship to Saint Martins University. In 1967, Dennis married Kathy Aschenbrenner. In May 1970, he graduated college with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with an endorsement in music. Sadly, Kathy and their unborn child were lost in a car accident on Sept. 17, 1970. Following Kathy’s death, Dennis and his faithful German shepherd Denver traveled the country for several years. In May 1974, he married Pam Malm in Olympia. Daughter Jennifer and son Jesse followed. After a divorce in 1981, Dennis moved to Carson City, Nevada for a business opportunity. He settled into a long relationship with Ida Johnson and loved her son Cody as his own. Returning to Washington after many years, he resided with companion Nancy Doerge in Oakville and became a proud grandfather to Jorden and Heather, the children of daughter Jennifer and former son-in-law Jayce Butler. Eventually, Dennis moved to Tacoma to live and work with his long-time friend Larry Riley. Dennis loved to fish and remembered a day on Lake St. Clair with Jayce, Heather and Jorden as one of his best ever. He enjoyed tinkering with cars and was happy to share this hobby with Jennifer’s partner Craig Dahm. He was an avid sports fan and could readily recall details of games, stats and playoff contenders. Basketball was his favorite sport. He looked forward to each season and often made very adamant and accurate predictions about games. The Oakland A’s were his baseball team, win or lose, yet he also kept a watchful eye on the Mariners. Dennis fought cancer bravely and liked to boast that he still had a full head of hair. Shining through his gruff exterior was a zest for life and a deep love for his kids and grandkids, dear friends and family. He was the type of friend that would rescue you in the middle of the night if your car broke down, or give the shirt off his back to a stranger. He will be deeply missed. Dennis was preceded in death by his mother and father, his wife Kathy and unborn baby, and his sister Beverly. He is survived by his daughter Jennifer (Manley) Butler, son Jesse (Monica) Mandoki, sister Linda (Bill) Mickelson, grandchildren Jorden and Heather, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends.