Iris E. Manning |
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Iris E. Manning, a neighborhood activist and former member of the Baltimore County Human Relations Commission, died of congestive heart failure Sept. 20 at her Turners Station home.
She was 86.
Iris Elizabeth Dodd, the daughter of a Norfolk & Western Railway worker and a homemaker, was born and raised in Roanoke, Va.
After graduating from Lucy Addison High School in Roanoke in 1939, she moved to Baltimore and went to work as an assembly line worker at the old Glenn Martin Co. plant in Middle River, where she worked until the 1960s.
Mrs. Manning later worked as an elevator operator in the Baltimore County Courthouse before joining the county's Department of Tags and Permits in 1989, where she eventually rose to supervisor.
In 1993, she was appointed to the Baltimore County Human Relations Commission where she worked until retiring in 1996.
After marring her husband, Charles "Chappie" Manning, a Yellow Cab taxi driver, in 1945, the couple settled into their Avon Beach Road home in Turners Station.
Politically active, the couple spent more than six decades, until Mr. Manning's death in 2002, working for the betterment of their community and racial harmony.
"Iris and Chappie were considered members of the first families of Turners Station. They were interested in both the growth of the community and were active in its politics," said their son, Carlos Manning Sr., of Turners Station.
"Iris was a strong woman who had definite ideas. Once she made a commitment she lived up to it. There was no fooling around with Iris," said Helen Delich Bentley, the former congresswoman and chairwoman of the Federal Maritime Commission, and longtime friend.
"She and her husband made a very good team. She was thoughtful and worked hard behind the scenes to make Turners Station better," Mrs. Bentley said. "She was always very loyal. If I ever needed anyone to protect me, I'd choose Iris."
Mrs. Manning was a longtime member of the Baltimore County Central Democratic Committee and worked tirelessly to ensure the election of Democrats to public office.
Tom Toporovich, former secretary to the Baltimore County Council and a Dundalk community leader, is an old friend.
"Iris and her husband were two of my great educators. They taught me more about race relations than anyone else in my life," said Mr. Toporovich.
Mr. Toporovich said that he and his wife were invited to an annual dinner, called The Roanokers, that the Mannings organized and held in a local hall.
"There would be 30 tables, one for whites, and the rest for the African-American guests. There must have been 300 people. That's when I learned how they must have felt when they came to our meetings," he said.
"However, I was never treated more royally in my life than I was by Chappie, Iris, and the people of Turners Station," he said.
"I remember during the riots in 1968 after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, that there was no trouble in Turners Station, and that was due to Iris and Chappie," Mr. Toporovich said. "In fact, the kids there chased out the Black Panthers."
Mr. Toporovich praised the Mannings' work as community leaders.
"They could deliver the votes because they were out for only good things," he said.
State Sen. Norman R. Stone Jr. is another old friend.
"I've known them for more than 30 years and they worked in all of my campaigns. They were stalwarts down there. Turners Station is an active community and Iris loved politics and the election process," Stone said.
"If Iris felt strongly about something, she didn't hesitate to speak, but on the same token, she was a very sweet person," he said.
Mrs. Manning was also known for her style of dress and matching millinery.
"She was always meticulously dressed," Mrs. Bentley said.
Because of failing health, Mrs. Manning had cut back on her activities, family members said.
Mrs. Manning enjoyed playing pinochle, organizing homecoming trips to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, listening to jazz, and visiting her vacation home in Fredericksburg, Va.
She was a member of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 103 Avon Beach Road, Turners Station, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday..
Also surviving are a daughter, Charlene Dickerson of Turners Station; a sister, Ruth Shelton of Catonsville; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was 86.
Iris Elizabeth Dodd, the daughter of a Norfolk & Western Railway worker and a homemaker, was born and raised in Roanoke, Va.
After graduating from Lucy Addison High School in Roanoke in 1939, she moved to Baltimore and went to work as an assembly line worker at the old Glenn Martin Co. plant in Middle River, where she worked until the 1960s.
Mrs. Manning later worked as an elevator operator in the Baltimore County Courthouse before joining the county's Department of Tags and Permits in 1989, where she eventually rose to supervisor.
In 1993, she was appointed to the Baltimore County Human Relations Commission where she worked until retiring in 1996.
After marring her husband, Charles "Chappie" Manning, a Yellow Cab taxi driver, in 1945, the couple settled into their Avon Beach Road home in Turners Station.
Politically active, the couple spent more than six decades, until Mr. Manning's death in 2002, working for the betterment of their community and racial harmony.
"Iris and Chappie were considered members of the first families of Turners Station. They were interested in both the growth of the community and were active in its politics," said their son, Carlos Manning Sr., of Turners Station.
"Iris was a strong woman who had definite ideas. Once she made a commitment she lived up to it. There was no fooling around with Iris," said Helen Delich Bentley, the former congresswoman and chairwoman of the Federal Maritime Commission, and longtime friend.
"She and her husband made a very good team. She was thoughtful and worked hard behind the scenes to make Turners Station better," Mrs. Bentley said. "She was always very loyal. If I ever needed anyone to protect me, I'd choose Iris."
Mrs. Manning was a longtime member of the Baltimore County Central Democratic Committee and worked tirelessly to ensure the election of Democrats to public office.
Tom Toporovich, former secretary to the Baltimore County Council and a Dundalk community leader, is an old friend.
"Iris and her husband were two of my great educators. They taught me more about race relations than anyone else in my life," said Mr. Toporovich.
Mr. Toporovich said that he and his wife were invited to an annual dinner, called The Roanokers, that the Mannings organized and held in a local hall.
"There would be 30 tables, one for whites, and the rest for the African-American guests. There must have been 300 people. That's when I learned how they must have felt when they came to our meetings," he said.
"However, I was never treated more royally in my life than I was by Chappie, Iris, and the people of Turners Station," he said.
"I remember during the riots in 1968 after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, that there was no trouble in Turners Station, and that was due to Iris and Chappie," Mr. Toporovich said. "In fact, the kids there chased out the Black Panthers."
Mr. Toporovich praised the Mannings' work as community leaders.
"They could deliver the votes because they were out for only good things," he said.
State Sen. Norman R. Stone Jr. is another old friend.
"I've known them for more than 30 years and they worked in all of my campaigns. They were stalwarts down there. Turners Station is an active community and Iris loved politics and the election process," Stone said.
"If Iris felt strongly about something, she didn't hesitate to speak, but on the same token, she was a very sweet person," he said.
Mrs. Manning was also known for her style of dress and matching millinery.
"She was always meticulously dressed," Mrs. Bentley said.
Because of failing health, Mrs. Manning had cut back on her activities, family members said.
Mrs. Manning enjoyed playing pinochle, organizing homecoming trips to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, listening to jazz, and visiting her vacation home in Fredericksburg, Va.
She was a member of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 103 Avon Beach Road, Turners Station, where services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday..
Also surviving are a daughter, Charlene Dickerson of Turners Station; a sister, Ruth Shelton of Catonsville; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
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