Obituary for Dr. Robert Allen Manley from his daughter Katherine Manley Ciampolini.

Dr. Robert Allen Manley of Jacksonville, Florida, peacefully passed away on Sunday, February 6, 2022, aged 73 years old, surrounded by his loving family.  He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 7, 1949, to Alberta Gustav (Hennig) Manley of Orlando and Robert Manley of Kansas City.  He has an elder sister, Carol (Manley) Robertson. 

Bob grew up in Kansas City where he developed his thirst for knowledge and hands-on approach to life under his grandfather Manley’s tutelage.  Even at a young age he loved tinkering and discovering how things worked.  He built his own motorised go-cart when he was twelve and learned the art of photography as a teenager, spending hours in his darkroom developing beautiful black and white images.  Bob taught himself to play the guitar and was lead guitarist in a rock band.  He attended Southwest High School, graduating in 1967.  He majored in biology at the University of Missouri, and then graduated from the Kansas City College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1971.  He first practiced Emergency Room and Family Medicine in Butler, Missouri, before moving to Macclenny, Florida, in 1979, where he practiced for 14 years.  He loved helping people and saved thousands of lives in his career.  Working in a small town gave him the opportunity to do everything from cesarian sections to setting fractures.  During this time in his life, he pursued his love of flying, boating and scuba diving and taught these skills to his children.  He particularly enjoyed showing his family the beauty of America and its national parks by land and air on yearly vacations.  He spent the remainder of his career in Lake City, Florida, before retiring to Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he enjoyed re-building vintage pinball machines.  To be closer to his sons, he and Jan relocated to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2017.  In his later years, he decided to refine his guitar skills and most recently re-built his parent’s stereo system from the 1960s. 

The most important element in his life was his family, whom he loved and supported with all his heart.  He met his wife, Margaret Jan (Ricksecker) Manley when they were 16-years old and became high school sweethearts.  They later married on March 27, 1971, and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year.   They have three children, Katherine E. Manley Ciampolini of London; Brett A Manley of Jacksonville; and Ashton B. Manley of Jacksonville.  He passed his love of life, food, travel, knowledge and new experiences on to his children and grandchildren.  Like his father before him, he encouraged his love of musical instruments in his grandchildren, who play the piano, guitar and drums.  However, the most important life lesson he imparted was to work hard for what one wants, to be self-sufficient and to stand up for one’s beliefs.

He is survived by his wife, three children and their spouses, sister, four granddaughters, four grandsons, and his beloved dog, Chuey.  He was a charismatic, engaging and honest man; a loving husband and father; and a loyal friend.  All will miss him dearly.