Manning: Physician, Prairie Grove Mayor, Writer

Robert Douglas Manning, loving husband, father, grandfather and great- grandfather, died peacefully at North Hills Life Care Center on Aug. 17, 2016. He was born on Oct. 5, 1925, in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.

Dr. Manning attended Colborne and Maitland Public Schools in Strathroy and later attended Strathroy Collegiate Institute. In 1951, he graduated with his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. A doctor from Western Canada, knowing that Dr. Manning had not yet chosen a place to practice, recommended Prairie Grove, Ark., where Dr. Frank Rigall owned and operated the Elizabeth Hospital. The Elizabeth hospital was accredited as part of the Fulbright Foreign Student Exchange program. Each year, one or two interns were invited to go to Prairie Grove and spend an extra year of training with Dr. Rigall. Dr. Manning entered the U.S. and worked through this program. Dr. Manning married Margaret Eilleen Robinson on June 19, 1952, at Strathroy United Church in Strathroy. They arrived in Prairie Grove 10 days later where they lived until their deaths.

The Elizabeth Hospital contained 26 beds and a clinic for offices for several doctors. The hospital had general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and all forms of emergency surgeries from snake bites, accidents, setting of fractures, e tc . The hospital was closed in 1965. Dr. Manning maintained outpatient clinics in the hospital for a few years but later moved his practice to locations closer to downtown Prairie Grove. From 19541962, Dr. Manning maintained a second office in Westville, Okla., 17 miles away from Prairie Grove. Because he made so many house calls within a large radius of Prairie Grove, he was well known throughout the entire area. He closed the Oklahoma office in 1962. Dr. Manning retired from his medical practice in 1994.

Dr. Manning was an extremely intelligent man with many talents. In addition to this medical practice, Dr. Manning served on the local school board, had a manufacturing plant (Temp-flow), and directed three different church choirs. He also served one term as mayor of Prairie Grove and wrote a column in the Prairie Grove weekly paper each week entitled, “As I See It.” Dr. Manning is the author of numerous poems and songs and his love for the arts can still be seen through the vocations and avocations of his children and grandchildren.

In April of 2016, his wife of 64 years, Margaret Eilleen Manning passed away suddenly and they now continue their love story in Heaven. Dr. Manning was preceded in death by his parents, Ellen O. and Robert Lloyd Manning, and his brothers- in- law, John Robinson and Jack Fidler.

He is survived by his four children, Margaret Ann Poeppel ( Wolfgang) of Augsburg, Germany, Robert William George Manning (Anita) of Colorado Springs, Colo., Frank Lloyd John Manning of Prairie Grove, Ark., and Dorothy Elizabeth Freidellen Ivey (Greg) of Gravette, Ark. He is survived by four grandchildren, Robert Christopher Manning (Amber) of Boulder, Colo., Matthew Michael Manning (Renee) of Colorado Springs, Colo., Alexander Robert Christian Poeppel of Augsburg, Germany and Sabrina Elizabeth Marguerite Poeppel of Augsburg, Germany. Dr. Manning is survived by his two great- grandchildren, Robert John “Jack” Manning and Leonard Patrick “Leo” Manning of Boulder, Colo. Dr. Manning is also survived by his sister, Dorothy Fidler, of Seattle, Wash., family- in- law, Marie Robinson of Strathroy, Ontario, William Robinson (Gloria) of London, Ontario, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral service was held Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, at Luginbuel Chapel. Online guest book: www.luginbuel.com

Manning