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Stewart M. Manville   ex-'54

January 15, 1932 - April 25, 2010

Died Laguna Niguel, CA

Cremated. Ashes scattered in Yosemite National Park, CA

Stewart Monfort Manville, fondly known as “Stew,” started out his life in San Diego, CA. In 1932, at the time of Stew's birth, his father, Francis Crane Manville, was beginning the first assignment of his 30-year naval career. After graduating from Annapolis, Frank was stationed on the U.S.S. Dorsey, a destroyer tender based in San Diego. Stew’s mother, Alice Spinning Manville, and Stew lived nearby. Over the years, Frank would have to deal with the constant relocation faced by most of the officers of his era.
 

Alice, Stew, and his younger sister Mandy always would relocate to be near him. They moved 18 times, living on the west and east coasts, with addresses in seven states. Stew attended 13 elementary schools and two junior high schools. He thrived in each new location, discovering new places and neighbors. Part of Stew’s father’s naval ordnance education was gained in Dahlgren, VA.
 

Here the Navy tested large guns by firing them down the Potomac. This provided a new home front adventure for Stew; when advance warning was given, Stew and his mom would quickly secure all the cabinets in the house and take down anything that hung on the walls. While living in Long Beach, CA Frank’s ship, the U.S.S. California, was anchored a few miles out to sea. When in port, Stew always looked forward to the family’s ride on a launch from San Pedro to see his father and have dinner and a movie. When Stew was twelve, his family moved to Fairlington, VA. There he had his first job, delivering newspapers and selling magazine subscriptions for Colliers, Liberty, and the Saturday Evening Post. Stew remembered the day World War II ended; he sold over a hundred papers. With the money he earned from this first job, he started stamp collecting. He also enjoyed making various pyrotechnic devices, mostly colorful flares.
 

For the last three years of high school, Stew’s parents were concerned that he have a stable environment for completing his preparatory schooling. Stew had the privilege of attending South Kent School in Connecticut, an Episcopal boarding school for boys. The outstanding education received and experiences he enjoyed there were something Stew treasured and spoke of fondly throughout his life. He enjoyed the school schedule and helping to prepare the meals and serve them in the dining room. Stew played football, hockey, and baseball, sang in the glee club, was active in drama and debate, and worked on the yearbook staff. After graduating, Stew decided to go to the University of Virginia for two years, taking many courses in French and Italian. Languages and music were dear to Stew’s heart, and for a year Stew hosted a campus radio program of operatic music.
 

In 1950, Stew received a Presidential appointment to West Point. He succeeded with his academics, continued playing hockey, and was active in the French, Russian and ski clubs. The years at West Point brought him life-long friendships. After three and a half years at West Point, Stew felt that his calling was not a military career, so he resigned, believing that this was the honorable thing to do. Later, he would regret his decision.
 

He completed his education at Pomona College in California and graduated with a B.A. in Mathematics and French. After graduation, he worked at General Dynamics as a thermodynamics engineer. Then he was drafted and spent two years in the U.S. Army at Ft. Bliss, TX, as a Nike Ajax launcher systems instructor. In 1961, he began graduate work in mathematics at UCLA. During this time he joined a  community musical theatre group, where he met his future wife, Sally, along with her young son and daughter. They married in 1962, and it wasn't long before they added two more boys to their family. Ultimately they were blessed with five grandchildren. Their younger boys and all of the grandchildren were born in California, making them fifth and sixth generation Californians. Some of his happiest times were spent joking and laughing with his grandchildren.
 

Computers became Stew’s forte. With his expertise, his career took him to North American Rockwell, Bellcomm, Hunt Wesson Foods, Xerox, and Infonet as a computer professional. He also enjoyed teaching computer applications as a part-time adjunct professor at Cal State University, Fullerton and National University, Irvine. Always a student at heart, Stew continued his education over the years, receiving an M.S. in Management Science and an M.B.A from West Coast University. Learning foreign languages; collecting stamps, coins and model trains; listening to all types of music; playing tennis; and avid reading were some of Stew’s interests. He recorded textbooks for the blind and helped establish the Junior United Soccer Association, the first major soccer league in northern Orange County. Stew and Sally sang in many church choirs together, traveled throughout Europe, and enjoyed visiting many of our country’s wonderful national parks. Most importantly, Stew’s greatest pleasure was being close to family.
 

In 2002, Stew, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Stew knew what was ahead and accepted his fate with dignity. He passed away peacefully at home, surrounded with family and friends. Stew requested that “Crossing the Bar” by Tennyson to be read at his memorial service. The last stanza expresses his deeply held convictions:


“And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark; For throughout our bourn
of Time and Place The flood may bear me
far, I hope to see my pilot face to face, When
I have crossed the bar.”

Originally published in TAPS, SUMMER 2012

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