Obituaries

TOBAY Music Under the Stars Founder Dies at 91

Former Massapequa resident Lois Inez Manning, served the town for more than 20 years.

Lois Inez (Hill) Manning of Jupiter, Florida peacefully passed away on June 8 at the age of 91. The former Woodbury resident was born in Moultrie, Georgia on March 18, 1920 and married on September 29, 1941 to Carl J. Manning, until his passing on July 5, 2000.  

Manning's family moved from Massapequa to Woodbury in the winter of 1955. She later became involved with the teenage club at and organized a committee and submitted a proposal to the Town of Oyster Bay for club funding in the late 1950's. 

As a devoted volunteer with the Town of Oyster Bay Youth Development Programs in Syosset, Manning continued into the early 1960's. She was then hired in 1965 by the Town of Oyster Bay as Director of the Center (formerly the Tinker Mansion), and held the first full time position for the TOB in recreation. 

Manning's commitment and dedication spearheaded many exciting after-school programs and activities for thousands of young people, and teens. She worked her way up the ladder to later become a supervisor for the TOB's performing arts division.

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Then, in 1974, Manning was appointed as "Superintendent" for the TOB's CAPA program (The Cultural and Performing Arts Division). 

For 20 years of dedicated service, Manning was instrumental in organizing a variety of programs for all ages including; acting workshops for teenage-produced plays, concerts, art classes, numerous enrichment programs, activities, and trips aimed for the young and seniors that are still in effect to this day.

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To name a few of the much loved programs she founded:  the pre-K program for three and four-year-olds, senior citizen programs, and many of the 'enrichment' programs she initiated.

Manning was also involved in the  which she organized with the other TOB parks and always introduced all the acts.  Another favorite of Manning was the Suburban Art League - she was chosen as the ‘Honorary Chairperson’ for the Suburban Art League's 25th Anniversary Art Exhibit. 

In 1985, Lois was named, "Woman of the Year," a prestigious honor now recognized today as the awards.  Thereafter, she soon retired with her husband, Carl, to Jupiter, FL in January of 1986. 

Lois was a member of the Nassau County Forum for the Arts, Nassau County Decentralization Program, New York Institute of Technology Cultural Arts Committee, the Alliance of New York State Arts Councils, Inc, LI Tourism and Convention Committee for the Arts, National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies, Association of College, University, and Community Arts Administrators, as well as Long Island Parks and Recreation Association. 

Manning is survived by her four children; Marie Manning of Jupiter, FL & NYC, NY / Carolyn Manning-DeJesu of Huntington, NY / Alan Manning of Jupiter, FL /and Linda Manning-Koziatek & husband, Edward, of Syosset, NY; Eleven grandchildren: David, Donna, Nicky, Lori, Joey, Heather, Allison, Edward, Michael, Kristin, and Thomas; Five great-grandchildren: David, Sandra, Layla, Kalista, and Lyric.

Visitation was held on Sunday, June 12, 2011 at the Aycock Funeral Home in Jupiter, FL, and another private memorial service will be held in Syosset, NY in mid- August.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, Maryland 20871.


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