Tom Manuel Obituary

Pond Creek, Oklahoma- Thomas Elven Manuel was born youngest of seven children to Myrtle and Jack Manuel. He was an outstanding football, basketball, and tennis player at Pond Creek High School. After a sojourn at Oklahoma Baptist University, he returned to Pond Creek where he met the love of his life, Lois Hendricks. They married on October 30th, 1937. After Tom's discharge from the Army, they followed Lois' family to Manitou Springs with their only child, Gary. Tom quickly worked his way up to sales manager at Home Furniture on south Tejon, while Lois taught at Fort Carson. A fifty year member of the Manitou Masonic Lodge, he was a 32nd degree Mason. He loved to fish and was certainly feared on the Arkansas and Platte Rivers. Tom and Lois enjoyed many trips to Las Vegas. They always bought tickets to at least two shows before he approached the rail. Throughout the later years of Tom's life he was lucky to receive the kindness and concern of numerous nurses, caregivers, and homemakers. While sometimes the acts seemed to have gone unnoticed, they were not. The deepest gratitude is owed them and a thousand thanks for making these years and struggles infinitely lighter and more bearable. Their courage and dedication in this burgeoning and underappreciated field is beyond admirable. Namaste. Tom was quick with a warm greeting. He listened well, making him a good and kind friend to many. Tom outlived his son and wife. He spoke of them often, especially of Lois in these last few weeks. He will be deeply missed by many friends and family. He is survived by numerous relatives on the Manuel side and that of his wife's, the Hendricks. Embracing him as one of their own, they were the reason he lived out his years Manitou Springs. His grandchildren, Lincoln Manuel, of Aspen and Manitou Springs; Lexy Hughes, of Jacksonville, Fl., as well as her children, Keaton and Savannah wish him safest passage and consider themselves lucky to have known him their entire lives. “WELL HELLO DEAR�