Joann “Jody” Manus, 89, a resident of the Lake Oconee community passed away peacefully on June 1, 2023, at Good Samaritan Hospital.
Jody had been a part of the lake community for 40 years.
She, and her brother Harry, bought waterfront property together in 1984 in the Lake Forest subdivision and built their homes side by side.
She loved living on the lake where she enjoyed gardening, boating, playing golf, traveling, dining out at the local spots, and most importantly playing bridge with a wonderful group of friends. Jody had many talents.
Among them were cooking, painting, stained glass, sewing, and needlepoint. She loved to make clothing for her kids, when they were young, as well as pillows, drapes, and other beautiful things for her home. She was an active member of the Lake Oconee Newcomers Association, a devoted member of her church, Liberty Chapel, and a wonderful friend to all who knew her. She never met a stranger.
Jody was a loving wife, supportive and devoted mother and grandmother, and great-grandmother. She has three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
Unfortunately, she passed just one week away from meeting her most recent great-grandchild. She loved and adored them all and would always be present at their games, recitals, award ceremonies, or any event involving them.
Her grandkids have many fond memories of spending time at the lake with Grammy. She also loved her two daughters-in-law, Laura, and Jenny Rice, as well as her son-in-law, Marlon Deyton, as if they were her own. To her children, she was our rock, a strong tower that we could lean on. We knew we could run to her for cover no matter what we got ourselves into. She was always there.
Jody was born in Atlanta, Ga on August 18, 1933. She grew up on Church St. in East Point where she lived with her father Jodie Davis, mother Nora, brother Harry, and sister Helen.
Unfortunately, she lost her beloved mother when she was only 13. It was a devastating loss to the family and Jody had to learn to navigate the teenage years without the guiding hand of her mother. Those years developed in her a fierce sense of independence which guided the rest of her life. She graduated from Russell High School in East Point in 1951.
She went to work the day after graduation at Fort McPherson in East Point, GA. In 1952, Jody married James A “Gabby” Rice Jr.
Together they had three children, Michael Rice, Kenneth Rice, and Lynn Rice Deyton. She worked at Fort Mac for a few years and then took several years off to stay home with her children. She then went to work for the FAA at the Atlanta Tower where she stayed until she moved to Lake Oconee. At that time, she transferred to the Eatonton office of the FHA and worked until she retired in 1991. She and Gabby were divorced in 1973. She married Ralph M Cook in 1975. They were together until his passing in 1992.
In 1997, she married George Clifton “Cliff” Manus, and they lived together for twenty-five years until his passing in 2022.
Jody is survived by her son, Michael Rice and his wife Laura, their three children, Jessica Rice and her husband Mical Swett, Michelle Rice, Eric Rice and his wife Ashton, and their two children Lydia, and James Davis (JD); her son Ken Rice and his wife Jenny, and their two children, David Rice, Carolyn and her husband Brent Bertucci and their two children Blair and Elle; her daughter Lynn and her husband Marlon Deyton, Lynn’s children Shannon Barnett, Shelly Sullivan and her son Kaden.
There will be a memorial gathering honoring Jody on July 29, 2023 at Liberty Chapel, 269 Milledgeville Rd. Eatonton, GA. 31024 at 12:30 pm.