Billy D. Manning

Chief Master Sargent Billy Denton Manning, went to Heaven to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, February 10, 2022, at the age of 88 years and 1 month in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He was born on January 15, 1934, in Quinton, Oklahoma to William C. Manning and Alma L. (Hughart) Manning. After graduating from Quinton High School in 1953, he married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life Bartona Morris on July 11, 1953, in Stigler, Oklahoma. They grew up during the great depression and were poor as church mice but, did not know it because everyone else was in the same position. During the Korean war, Billy volunteered to join the United States Air Force on 24 July 1953 after being married only 13 days. After basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, Billy, was assigned to the 3380th Technical Training Wing Keesler AFB Biloxi, Mississippi. Bartona joined him In Biloxi for their first assignment in the Military. After 3 months at Keesler AFB, Billy was reassigned to the 8th fighter Bomb Wing Suwon (K-13) Korea. After going back to Quinton on leave prior to going to Korea, they found out Bartona was pregnant with their first child. Billy had to leave in December 1953 and leave his wife Bartona, all alone in her old home place for one year and to have their first child by herself because both of her parents were deceased. She was only 19 years old, but she took charge and had their first child, Kathy Lynn. Kathy was 5 months old when Billy first saw her. When he left Korea in December 1954, they were assigned to the 3750th Field Maintenance Squadron Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas. During their time in Wichita Falls, they had their second child, Linda Gale, on March 2, 1956. In 1961, they were reassigned to the 4780th Air Defense Wing Perrin AFB Texas and lived in Denison. In 1963, they were reassigned to the 7206th Support Group Athens, Greece. After two and one-half years in Greece, in 1966, they were reassigned to the 464th troop carrier wing Pope AFB in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 1968, during the Vietnam war, Billy was reassigned to the 355 Tac Fighter Wing Takhli Thailand. Bartona and the girls had to stay in Fayetteville. In 1969, after one year in Thailand, Billy was reassigned to the 23 Tac Fighter Wing McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas. In 1972, they were reassigned to 6931st Security Group in Iraklion Crete, Greece. In 1974, they were reassigned to HQ US Air Force Security Service located in San Antonio, Texas. All Security Service bases were located overseas so Billy traveled overseas two or three times a year. He saw most of the major cities in Europe as well as the Far East and Southeast Asia. He also traveled to all fifty states. Chief Master Sargent Manning was a highly decorated airman. During his career, he received over twenty military awards and medals. They include: the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Metal two times, the Air Force Commendation Medal three times, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The United Nations Service Medal, and many others. In 1979, after over twenty-six years in the military, they made their last move from the military to Shawnee, Oklahoma. After arriving in Shawnee, Billy took a civilian job at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, OK. He retired after working at Tinker for seventeen years as a supply supervisor. In total, he had worked for forty-three years. After retirement, he and Bartona bought a winter home in Ocala, Florida and traveled back and forth as snowbirds for eleven years. Six months in Florida in the winter and six months in Shawnee during the summer. These were some of the best years of their lives. On the first day of February 1970, at the age of 36, Billy was saved during a revival at Oaklawn Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas. Brother John Matteson was the pastor. Billy and his wife Bartona were baptized together. In Shawnee, they became long time members of Immanuel Baptist church. Billy was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Bartona, after 68 years of marriage, his brothers Tommy Gene, Jerry Wayne, James Stanley, Sisters Joyce Kathern and Anita June Manning and many extended family and friends. He leaves behind his daughters Kathy and husband Mark Hartman, of Richmond Texas, and Linda Flanagan of Shawnee OK. He also leaves three grandchildren, Matthew, and his wife Shara Hartman of Richmond TX., Jonathan Hartman of Houston, TX, and Julie Flanagan of Shawnee. He has eight great grandchildren: Jude, Mariana, Emily, Carlos, Benjamin, Jeronimo, Jack, Mark, and Isabella Hartman of Richmond TX. Friends and loved ones may pay their respects at the funeral home on Monday, February 14 from 12-6 p.m. A funeral ceremony will be held on Tuesday, February 15 at 10:00 a.m. at Walker Funeral & Cremation Service in Shawnee, OK. Following the funeral ceremony, Billy will be laid to rest with full military honors next to his beloved wife at the Quinton Cemetery in Quinton, Oklahoma.