Manley VanValkenburg

LaFAYETTE Manley Romaine VanValkenburg, 77, passed away Wednesday, May 20, 2015. He was born in Scranton, Pa. to the late Jesse and Mary Carpenter VanValkenburg. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He had worked in construction work for many years which led him to previously resided in Scranton, Pa., New York City, N.Y., Tampa, Fla. He had worked for Roper in LaFayette and had resided in LaFayette, Ga. for the past twenty seven years. He was of the Baptist faith and had attended Bethel Memorial Baptist Church in LaFayette, Ga. He was a big supporter of local veterans and the President of Georgia Vietnam Veterans Alliance Chapter 12 for ten years. He was a member of the local chapter of the Veteran of Foreign Wars. He enjoyed mechanizing on military equipment, doing carpentry work, fishing, collecting coins, watching spaghetti westerns, watching westerns staring John Wayne The Duke", watching NASCAR, he especially enjoyed spending time with his family. Along with his parents he was preceded in death by his grandson, Jeremiah "Bullfrog" Johnson. He is survived by his children, Manley VanValkenburg Jr., Avery VanValkenburg, Jesse VanValkenburg, all of Pennsylvania, Michael VanValkenburg, of Riverview, Fla., Tammy Chastain, of Florida, Tonya Johnson of Virginia, Krystal Johnson, of Florida, Clarence VanValkenburg, of LaFayette, Ga., Marla Dixon, of Cartersville, Ga., Machelle VanValkenburg, of LaFayette, Ga.; sisters, Marietta (Jim) Cole, Loretta Cheatham, all of Tampa, Fla., Dorothy Botsch of New York; several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 23, 2015, at 204 Veterans Drive in LaFayette, Ga., with Malcomb Harris officiating. Online register book at www.wilsonfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Wilson Funeral Homes, LaFayette Chapel.