Richard “Dick” P. Manlove, 87, Long Prairie

February 17, 1931 - July 31, 2018

Funeral services will be at 10:30 am Monday, August 6, 2018 at American Lutheran Church in Long Prairie for Richard Perry Manlove who died Tuesday, July 31 at CentraCare Hospital in St. Cloud. Pastor Bill Bakewicz will officiate. Burial will be in Hubbard, MN. Visitation will be Sunday from 3-6 pm and 1 hour prior to services, Monday, at the church in Long Prairie.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Williams Dingmann Stein Chapel in Long Prairie.

Dick was born on his father’s birthday, February 17, 1931, at home in Hubbard Township, the second child to Clinton Clair and Minnie Rebekah (Christensen) Manlove. He attended the Hubbard school through eighth grade, graduating in 1948 from Park Rapids High School. He worked on the family farm and drove school bus for Park Rapids until 1952, when he was drafted on February 27th, during the Korean conflict, into the United States Army. He spent 18 months overseas in Germany, receiving his discharge on February 16, 1954. In the fall of 1954, he began college at Bemidji State University graduating in 1957 with a B.S. degree in Industrial Arts Education. He later returned to complete a master’s degree. He started his teaching career at Deer Creek, MN in 1957. He moved to Long Prairie, MN in 1965 where he taught for 32 years of the 40 years he was in education, retiring on June 1, 1997. Dick met his wife, also a teacher, at Long Prairie. He married JoAnn Carol Oak on August 2, 1969 in McIntosh, MN. Their marriage was blessed with a daughter Jill Elizabeth and a son Jason Perry. Becoming grandfather to Jackson Perry and Jenna Kathryn Grace was a huge thrill.

Dick was a big sports enthusiast. His dad spent many Sunday afternoons playing baseball with his sons. Dick played a lot of baseball during his Deer Creek days. He enjoyed watching the MN Twins and especially the MN Vikings. He officiated HS basketball and was “Keeper of the Clock” for Long Prairie athletics for 40 years, continuing into retirement. He bowled for 40 years in Wadena with Deer Creek friends & also teams in Long Prairie. Dick enjoyed many fishing trips to Lake of the Woods and Canada. Fall brought deer hunting on his property near Ponsford, MN. The family enjoyed travelling all over the United States in their RV during the summers. Dick had been to all 50 states having driven in 49 of them. Spending time with family at their cabin on Long Lake in Hubbard held many memories. Dick loved working with wood and doing construction projects. Together, Dick and JoAnn built their home, garages, and cabin. He will be remembered for his quick wit, sense of humor, strong work ethic, organizational skills, promptness, and doing the job right the first time.

In retirement, Dick drove the Todd County Veterans van for 10 years and did bread runs for the LP Food Pantry. He was a life member of the Wadena VFW and a 60-year member of the Long Prairie American Legion. He was a member of the American Lutheran Church.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, JoAnn; daughter Jill of Alexandria; son Jason (Joelle) of Valley City, ND; grandchildren, Jackson and Jenna; sister in law, Gail Manlove, brothers in law, Wayne (Jan) Oak, Gene (Judy) Oak and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Kathryn Manlove, brothers, Winston (Margaret) Manlove, Paul Manlove, brother in law, Larry Oak and mother and father in law, Johnnie & Adeline Oak.