Joseph "Joe" Fletcher Manson

JOSEPH "JOE" FLETCHER MANSON     

Father-in-law to Carl Shytle, Dodge Chemical Company  

On August 22, 2024 Joseph “Joe” Fletcher Manson passed peacefully from this world to the next, where he will be with all of his friends and loved ones who passed before him. Joe was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He looked out for people with loyalty and humor, including his parents, his many aunts, his mother-in-law Kathleen Holland French, and his daughters. He loved his many cousins and his extended family by marriage. He was a loyal friend to so many and will be greatly missed.

Joe was born in Greensboro, the eldest son of William Fletcher Manson and Emma Tela Hodgin Manson. He attended Lindley Elementary, Lindley Jr. High and graduated from Greensboro/ Grimsley High School.

Joe graduated from Guilford College in 1952. He married Betty Jean French in 1954. They were married for 55 years until her death in 2009. For 10 years, Joe cared for her with heroic fortitude through her extended bout with Alzheimer's disease.

He served honorably in the Naval Reserves, achieving the rank of Lieutenant. After Guilford he worked for Blue Bell Wrangler for 35 years, serving as purchasing director. Joe also graduated from the UNC-CH School of Business. He then spent 15 years as the purchasing director for Guilford County before retiring.

Joe grew up in the church around the corner from his childhood home, Ebenezer Lutheran, and had long Quaker roots on his maternal Hodgin side. After getting married, he joined Betty and her family at West Market Street United Methodist Church where he was a creative and charismatic Sunday School teacher and counselor for the youth department for 25 years. After Betty’s passing, he attended New Garden Friends Meeting. Joe was a loyal and enthusiastic (second generation) Guilfordian, active in the Guilford College Alumni organization, the Quaker Club (which he served as President), and recruited many students to Guilford. He volunteered with Senior Net (providing computer skills to older adults), SCORE (an organization of retired business executives who help mentor people wanting to start or improve small businesses), the Greensboro Jaycees, and the YMCA where he was a member for over 60 years. He participated in Alzheimer’s support groups and was a peer counselor to others for many years.

Joe was active in his daughters’ school’s PTSAs and served as president of the PTSA at Sternberger, Lindley, Price, Kiser, and Grimsley. Joe was a graduate of the Leadership Greensboro Seniors (LGS) program and was a member of the LGS alumni association where he was instrumental in starting and maintaining the LGSA sponsored semi-annual food collection program for the Greensboro Urban Ministry, the largest source of food for their “Food to the Needy” program. Joe was also a member of the Gate City Kiwanis Club.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Betty, his brother William “Bill” Yates Manson (former District Court Judge of Durham, NC), his sister-in-law Patricia Scott Manson, his brother-in-law Luther “Luke” Graham French Jr., and his first cousins John “Jack” Hodgin, Sally Jean Pickett, Barbara Jo Hodgin, Joseph Phal Hodgin Jr., Jonaleen Hodgin, Julia Blair Hodgin, John Fox, George Fox and Martha Harris Manson Plowden.

Surviving Joe are his daughters Karrie Jo Manson and Martie Lee Manson Shytle, son-in-law Carl Shytle, grandchildren Anna Julia Opaleski, John Joseph “Joe” Opaleski and his fiancee Amanda Schofield, Emma Kathleen Prescott, and Lindsay Erin Shytle, his sister in law Mary Henrie Arthur French, his cousin-in-law Gail Dee Hunter Hodgin, and his devoted caregiver of eight years, Shanetra Whitney Slade.

Funeral services will be handled by Hanes Lineberry Funeral Service and the private burial will take place on Wednesday, August 28. Family and friends are invited to a memorial service at Hodgin Valley Farm, 561 Hodgin Valley Road, Pleasant Garden, NC on Sunday, September 1st at 2pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Guilford College, giving.guilford.edu, New Garden Friends Meeting, ngfm.org or Piedmont Land Conservancy, www.piedmontland.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com