Mr. Willie Leon Manuel , our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at The Laurels of Canton (Guardian Angel Hospice Care) in Canton, Ohio after a long battle with cancer. Age 68 years. Willie, affectionately known as Bill, was born on July 12, 1948 in Glen Allan, Mississippi to Ernest Payton and Bessie Manuel.
Willie accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior at an early age. He relocated to Saginaw, Michigan at the age of 14 years where he later met and married his beloved wife, Dorothy Cheri (Parham) Manuel. Willie retired from General Motors (Saginaw Malleable Iron Foundry) after 37 years of service. He was a member of UAW Local 455. After retirement, Bill moved to Canton, Ohio. He enjoyed working on cars, fishing, watching western movies and working outside. He loved his family and did a very good job of providing for them.
He leaves to cherish his memory two daughters, Tiffany Manuel and her fiancee, Larry Donald, of Saginaw, Michigan and Tammie Manuel of Canton, Ohio; four step-children, Cassandra Wilson, Yolanda (Edward) Collins, Sr., Gregory (Victoria) Holmes and Dawn (Robert) Davis, all of Saginaw, Michigan; twenty-four grandchildren; forty-two great-grandchildren; three sisters, Sadie (Charlie) Shorter, Saginaw, Michigan, Lillie Carter, Chicago, Illinois, and Connie Hayes, Colorado Springs, Colorado; many nieces and nephews; one aunt, Marzilla Randolph of Chicago, Illinois; many cousins including special cousins, Bessie Ruth Manuel, Cornelia (Earvin) Adway, Willie Barnes, Charles Barnes, Dorothy Barnes, Wanneka Barnes, Shriland Barnes, Sylvia Barnes, Ella Joshua, Bessie Joshua and Betty King; many other relatives and friends including a very special friend, Diane Jackson of Canton, Ohio, David Tubbs, Sandra Taylor, Thomas Burton and Marshia Hasker. Willie will be missed by family and friends who loved him dearly.
Mr. Manuel was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest Payton and Bessie Manuel; wife, Dorothy Manuel; grandparents and two step-daughters, Belinda Wilson and Dorothy Kelley.
The family would like to express special thanks to the staff of The Laurels of Canton and Guardian Angels Hospice Care in Canton, Ohio for the quality care Willie received, and Ivan E. Phillips and the staff of Paradise Funeral Chapel.
A celebration of Mr. Manuel's life has taken place.
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