Eileen Joyce Manning

Thetford Center, VT-Eileen Joyce Manning, 79, of Thetford Center, Vermont passed peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on Saturday, January 12, 2013. Joyce was born January 9, 1934, the daughter of Charles and Eileen (Blodgett) Palmer. She and Arvin Manning married on December 9, 1950. She attended schools in Thetford. Joyce and Arvin had six sons, Arvin Jr. (John), Alford (Bum), Gregory, Gerald (pre-deceased), Bernard, and Don Eric (pre-deceased), and one daughter Marlene Manning Jenks. And she was blessed with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great- great grandchildren. Joyce had a great heart and anyone who became connected to the family became part of the family in her eyes. She was always there for anyone and everyone. As well as caring for her family Joyce also worked outside the home. She worked for Dr. Putnam as housekeeper, cook and childcare provider; she was a housemother for ABC House at Dartmouth College; a housekeeper at the Hanover Inn: and a cook at Howard Johnson's. Later in life she went back to school to learn bookkeeping, became the bookkeeper at Howard Johnson's, as well as, the bookkeeper for the family business, "Manning Logging". On any given Friday you would find Joyce driving around the county picking up checks from the mills, which were cashed to pay to loggers. Although everyone knew Joyce carried thousands of dollars in cash every Friday night, NO ONE dared to mess with her. She endured many Friday nights as Manning Logging's bookkeeper, cook and referee as LOGGERS came in to get paid. All the while Joyce was upstairs trying to figure each ones pay; the LOGGERS were all down stairs sitting around drinking, eating and being loud and rambunctious. There were many Friday nights where she would have to get out the famous stove poker to keep them from maiming each other. Joyce enjoyed spending many hours out in her garden. It was a huge elaborate garden, which provided food for her family and many others, and brought many compliments from many people. Joyce enjoyed making clothes for her family as they were growing up. She enjoyed cooking, canning, and also taught a lot of other people to cook and can. She enjoyed family time. Her three sisters came to visit in the fall. They and her children took care of her which brought much joy to Joyce. Even as sick as she was there was a lot of laughter in the house this fall and winter. Joyce leaves her siblings Alden Palmer, Alice Beauchene, Suzanne Herrit, Josephine Palmer, along with lots of nieces and nephews. Joyce was pre-deceased by her brothers; Carroll Palmer, Charles Palmer Jr., and Alex Palmer. There will be a Memorial Gathering and Celebration of Joyce's Life on January 16, 2013 at 2:00 PM in the hall at the United Church of Thetford on Route 5 in North Thetford, VT. Anyone wishing to speak or contribute a memory is welcome to do so. A graveside service will take place in the spring at the Evergreen Cemetery in Thetford Center, VT. The date will be announced at a later time. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice of Vermont and New Hampshire, 66 Benning Street, Lebanon, NH 03766. The Hale Funeral Home of Thetford Center, VT is in charge of arrangements. To view an online guest book go to www.halefuneralhomes.com. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Eileen Joyce Manning, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

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Eileen Joyce Manning

January 9, 1934 - January 12, 2013