John T. Manning

John Tinnelly Manning (April 3, 1935 – January 17, 2021)

On Sunday, January 17, 2021, John T. Manning, Esq. passed away at the age of 85 at his home on Willsboro Point surrounded by his family and longtime caregiver.
John was born on April 3, 1935 in Ausable Forks, N.Y. to Ethel B. and Honorable Daniel T. Manning, Sr. John loved his hometown and graduated from Ausable Forks High School in 1952. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 1956 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and furthered his education alongside his brother at Albany Law School, where he received his J.D. in 1959. Shortly after receiving his license to practice law, John opened an office in Willsboro, N.Y. in 1960, where he practiced until retirement in 2015. During his lengthy career as both a private attorney and assistant Essex County attorney for 26 years, John impacted hundreds of lives, helping clients and friends navigate the complex legal system while upholding and enforcing the rule of law. He was especially proud of his involvement with the Essex County Bar Association for 60 years.
John’s first wife, Marilyn Cimbrec (Cimmie), passed away in 1962. Three years later, he married Eira Eriksson on January 23 in Charleston, W.V. They raised two sons, John Jr. (Jay) and Michael, and a daughter, Katharina (Kitty). John was predeceased by a second daughter, Jennifer Mary, in 1970.
John’s interests and passions were many and varied. Music was always a source of joy, and he could often be found playing Irish pub songs on the home piano or on the banjo around the campfire. In his later years, he enjoyed playing the harmonica at open-mic night at Totos.
John loved the outdoors and developed many long-lasting friendships while working at the North Pole and Whiteface Mountain Highway during his college years. He loved the sport of skiing, having first learned to ski as a child on Marble Mountain. He was a founding member of the Willsboro Ski Club and skied for 55 years at Whiteface Mountain, introducing hundreds of kids to the sport in the process. As a volunteer official with the U.S. Luge Association, he was a strong advocate for the sport and cheered on sliders of all ages and abilities. John also loved travelling in his motorhome, camping with his family across the eastern United States and hiking in the Adirondack Mountains. One of his favorite pastimes was watching boats sail by on Lake Champlain from his home on Willsboro Point.
Even though John disputed it for some time, he was undeniably a lover of animals, having adopted many shelter dogs and cats over the years. His cat, Murphy III, was by his side at his death.
John was an engaged community member and was active in the Willsboro-Essex Knights of Columbus, founder and past president of the Willsboro Essex Kiwanis Club, past lieutenant governor for the Adk. Division of Kiwanis and past president of Whiteface Mountain Kiwanis Club.
He was also one of the founding members of Willsboro Industries, responsible for reinventing the former Willsboro Paper Mill into a business park, which helped the town develop sustainable businesses.
He served on the Willsboro Town Board as councilman for 11 years and justice of the peace for nine years.
During “retirement” John and Eira visited many countries on cruises and enjoyed meeting new people and making friends wherever they went.
Till the end, John retained his sense of humor. A well-read person, he was known to recite poems, passages and riddles to audiences large and small. Always eager to debate politics, he was, above all, a staunch defender of democracy.
John is survived by his wife Eira, his son John Manning, Jr. and daughter-in-law Joni of Jay, N.Y.; his son Michael and daughter-in-law Lois of Henrietta, N.Y.; and his daughter Katharina and son-in-law James of Hinesburgh, Vt. John also leaves behind 10 grandchildren (Jennifer, Jessica, Juliana, Jeanna, Christina, Alexandra, Emily, Alexander, Eva and Patterson), three great-grandchildren (Jayni, Zoey and Clayton), his nephew Daniel Manning Jr. and his nephew’s wife, Missy, of Jay, N.Y. and his niece, Elizabeth Matzel of Jay, N.Y. John also had a large extended family in Sweden.
In addition to Cimmie and Jennifer, John was preceded in death by his parents, Dan and Ethel, and his brother, Daniel II.
A private family service and burial will be held with a celebration of his life to be planned for the summer of 2021. Donations may be sent to North County SPCA, PO Box 55, Elizabethtown, NY 12932 or the Willsboro-Essex EMS, 2659 NYS Rt 22, Essex, NY 12936-9998.
The family would like to thank the Smith House medical and physical therapy staff, the Willsboro-Essex EMS squad for their long-term support and the staff of the High Peaks Hospice for their compassionate care at the end of John’s life.
Arrangements are being made by Heald Funeral Home, Inc. at 7521 Court St, Elizabethtown, NY (518) 873-6713.