CLAYPOOL – Ballard Manns, 76, Silver Lake, went to be with the Lord at 2:08 a.m. April 10, 2015, at Lutheran Hospital of Fort Wayne, with his family by his side. He was born Feb. 1, 1939, in Prestonsburg, Ky., to Ellis and Daisy Bradford Manns. On April 18, 1959, he married Barbara Joann Hill, who survives in North Manchester. He worked for 35 years for Dalton Foundries in Warsaw, retiring in 1995 as a supervisor and partial owner. He enjoyed fishing in Alaska with his son Mike, deer hunting and helping others. He was a very generous man, hard working, and most of all he was a loving father. He will be lovingly remembered by his son, Mike (and spouse Nancy) Manns, Kasilof, Alaska; two daughters, Susan (and spouse John) Bellamy, Warsaw, and Sharon Fitzgerald, Leesburg. Also surviving are 13 grandchildren: Jeremy and Jonathan Manns; Terry Hughes; Brandon, Anthony, and Logan Fitzgerald; Brandon, Justin, Austin, Dylan, Olivia, Hannah, and Reenie Bellamy; and nine great-grandchildren: Tyler, Brady, and Daisy Manns; Maygan, Gwyn, Josselyn, Ryder, Marlee and Payton Bellamy; five brothers: George (and spouse Eula) Manns, Palestine; Lawrence Manns and Dale (and spouse Sue) Manns, all of Warsaw; Willard (and spouse Sue) Manns, Akron; Ed Manns, Silver Lake; and six sisters: Annie Grace (and spouse Luther) Bailey and Mary Bell (and spouse James) Overbey, all of Claypool; Dorothy Bailey and Marcella (and spouse Lonnie) Dillon, all of Akron; Ruby Jean Keitzer, Fort Wayne; and Jenny Emmons, Silver Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, William Manns. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Free Will Baptist Church of Kosciusko County, 58 W. CR 700 S., Claypool, with Pastor Terry Bradford officiating assisted by Pastor John B. Lowe. Burial will follow with a graveside service at Akron Cemetery in Akron. Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the church. Arrangements are entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw. ***** Memorials to Mad Anthony’s Children's Hope House, 7922 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46804 and would be appreciated by his family. Condolences via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com
