Lt. Col. Milton "Milt" Maness (Ret.), 102, of Spartanburg, SC, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at his home, a victim of Covid-19.
Widower of Jo’ Ellen (Reed) Maness, whom he met at Limestone College, and the son of the late Jesse Middleton Maness and Julia Edna Brown Maness.
We lost a stalwart member of the Greatest Generation: born and reared in the Victor Mill community of Greer; a scholarship athlete at Wofford College; defender of his nation as a B-29 bomber pilot flying sorties over Japan from Guam; a Christian and member of First Baptist Spartanburg for more than 75 years; a father to five in Duncan Park; a businessman and entrepreneur; a salesman. He kept his mind sharp with daily rounds of “Words with Friends” and the Herald Journal’s “Cryptoquote”.
Milt was a standout athlete at Greer High School and Wofford College, where he earned letters in all four sports. He was the last Wofford athlete to earn 14 letters, three each for football and basketball (freshmen were not eligible to play varsity in those sports), and four letters each in baseball and track-and-field.
Among his other sports achievements: he was a scout for the Boston Red Sox and discovered Jim Rice, who played for Boston. He rejected a minor league baseball contract when he returned from the Army Air Corps in 1946 because he didn’t feel it would adequately support his family. Instead, he joined Crutchfield’s Sporting Goods as a salesman, and then began his own sporting goods store, Maness Sporting Goods. For many years he was a manufacturer’s rep selling educational supplies to schools throughout South Carolina. When he was 72, he helped found Spartan Alarm, which he later sold.
He joined the Army after he left Wofford and earned a spot in the Army Air Corps. He flew bombing raids over Japan from Guam. He was later in the Air Force Reserves, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He was the “Voice of the Spartanburg High School Vikings” football team as public address announcer for 46 years, ending in 2007.
A supportive father, he helped son Binky found a youth basketball squad, The Junior Trotters, which entertained at halftime shows from Rochester, NY, to Florida for many Atlantic Coast Conference and SEC schools and tournaments. Along with his late friend Bob Tallant, he sponsored and coached Pony League teams in Spartanburg for a dozen years.
He and Jo’ were members of First Baptist Spartanburg since making their home here in 1946; a member of the Early Fellowship Class at First Baptist; and a member of Downtown Sertoma for many years.
Survivors are his sons, Milton Brown “Binky” Maness Jr. (Eileen), Mark Reed Maness; daughters, Melinda M. Gray (Clifford “Chip”), Molly Jo’ Maness Horton (Mike Small), and Mia Lauren Maness; two special sisters-in-law, Patsy Reed Turner and Mattie “Midget” Reed Turner; ten grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and a beloved friend, Margie Johnson.
Predeceased by a granddaughter, Hayley Maness Fust (25 Dec 1970 – 19 Jun 2016).
A memorial service was held later.
Memorials could be made to First Baptist Spartanburg, Spartanburg, SC, or Wounded Warrior Project, Topeka, KS.
Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel
Spartanburg, SC
Widower of Jo’ Ellen (Reed) Maness, whom he met at Limestone College, and the son of the late Jesse Middleton Maness and Julia Edna Brown Maness.
We lost a stalwart member of the Greatest Generation: born and reared in the Victor Mill community of Greer; a scholarship athlete at Wofford College; defender of his nation as a B-29 bomber pilot flying sorties over Japan from Guam; a Christian and member of First Baptist Spartanburg for more than 75 years; a father to five in Duncan Park; a businessman and entrepreneur; a salesman. He kept his mind sharp with daily rounds of “Words with Friends” and the Herald Journal’s “Cryptoquote”.
Milt was a standout athlete at Greer High School and Wofford College, where he earned letters in all four sports. He was the last Wofford athlete to earn 14 letters, three each for football and basketball (freshmen were not eligible to play varsity in those sports), and four letters each in baseball and track-and-field.
Among his other sports achievements: he was a scout for the Boston Red Sox and discovered Jim Rice, who played for Boston. He rejected a minor league baseball contract when he returned from the Army Air Corps in 1946 because he didn’t feel it would adequately support his family. Instead, he joined Crutchfield’s Sporting Goods as a salesman, and then began his own sporting goods store, Maness Sporting Goods. For many years he was a manufacturer’s rep selling educational supplies to schools throughout South Carolina. When he was 72, he helped found Spartan Alarm, which he later sold.
He joined the Army after he left Wofford and earned a spot in the Army Air Corps. He flew bombing raids over Japan from Guam. He was later in the Air Force Reserves, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He was the “Voice of the Spartanburg High School Vikings” football team as public address announcer for 46 years, ending in 2007.
A supportive father, he helped son Binky found a youth basketball squad, The Junior Trotters, which entertained at halftime shows from Rochester, NY, to Florida for many Atlantic Coast Conference and SEC schools and tournaments. Along with his late friend Bob Tallant, he sponsored and coached Pony League teams in Spartanburg for a dozen years.
He and Jo’ were members of First Baptist Spartanburg since making their home here in 1946; a member of the Early Fellowship Class at First Baptist; and a member of Downtown Sertoma for many years.
Survivors are his sons, Milton Brown “Binky” Maness Jr. (Eileen), Mark Reed Maness; daughters, Melinda M. Gray (Clifford “Chip”), Molly Jo’ Maness Horton (Mike Small), and Mia Lauren Maness; two special sisters-in-law, Patsy Reed Turner and Mattie “Midget” Reed Turner; ten grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and a beloved friend, Margie Johnson.
Predeceased by a granddaughter, Hayley Maness Fust (25 Dec 1970 – 19 Jun 2016).
A memorial service was held later.
Memorials could be made to First Baptist Spartanburg, Spartanburg, SC, or Wounded Warrior Project, Topeka, KS.
Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel
Spartanburg, SC
Lt. Col. Milton "Milt" Maness (Ret.), 102, of Spartanburg, SC, passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 9, 2021, at his home, a victim of Covid-19.
Widower of Jo’ Ellen (Reed) Maness, whom he met at Limestone College, and the son of the late Jesse Middleton Maness and Julia Edna Brown Maness.
We lost a stalwart member of the Greatest Generation: born and reared in the Victor Mill community of Greer; a scholarship athlete at Wofford College; defender of his nation as a B-29 bomber pilot flying sorties over Japan from Guam; a Christian and member of First Baptist Spartanburg for more than 75 years; a father to five in Duncan Park; a businessman and entrepreneur; a salesman. He kept his mind sharp with daily rounds of “Words with Friends” and the Herald Journal’s “Cryptoquote”.
Milt was a standout athlete at Greer High School and Wofford College, where he earned letters in all four sports. He was the last Wofford athlete to earn 14 letters, three each for football and basketball (freshmen were not eligible to play varsity in those sports), and four letters each in baseball and track-and-field.
Among his other sports achievements: he was a scout for the Boston Red Sox and discovered Jim Rice, who played for Boston. He rejected a minor league baseball contract when he returned from the Army Air Corps in 1946 because he didn’t feel it would adequately support his family. Instead, he joined Crutchfield’s Sporting Goods as a salesman, and then began his own sporting goods store, Maness Sporting Goods. For many years he was a manufacturer’s rep selling educational supplies to schools throughout South Carolina. When he was 72, he helped found Spartan Alarm, which he later sold.
He joined the Army after he left Wofford and earned a spot in the Army Air Corps. He flew bombing raids over Japan from Guam. He was later in the Air Force Reserves, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He was the “Voice of the Spartanburg High School Vikings” football team as public address announcer for 46 years, ending in 2007.
A supportive father, he helped son Binky found a youth basketball squad, The Junior Trotters, which entertained at halftime shows from Rochester, NY, to Florida for many Atlantic Coast Conference and SEC schools and tournaments. Along with his late friend Bob Tallant, he sponsored and coached Pony League teams in Spartanburg for a dozen years.
He and Jo’ were members of First Baptist Spartanburg since making their home here in 1946; a member of the Early Fellowship Class at First Baptist; and a member of Downtown Sertoma for many years.
Survivors are his sons, Milton Brown “Binky” Maness Jr. (Eileen), Mark Reed Maness; daughters, Melinda M. Gray (Clifford “Chip”), Molly Jo’ Maness Horton (Mike Small), and Mia Lauren Maness; two special sisters-in-law, Patsy Reed Turner and Mattie “Midget” Reed Turner; ten grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and a beloved friend, Margie Johnson.
Predeceased by a granddaughter, Hayley Maness Fust (25 Dec 1970 – 19 Jun 2016).
A memorial service was held later.
Memorials could be made to First Baptist Spartanburg, Spartanburg, SC, or Wounded Warrior Project, Topeka, KS.
Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel
Spartanburg, SC
Widower of Jo’ Ellen (Reed) Maness, whom he met at Limestone College, and the son of the late Jesse Middleton Maness and Julia Edna Brown Maness.
We lost a stalwart member of the Greatest Generation: born and reared in the Victor Mill community of Greer; a scholarship athlete at Wofford College; defender of his nation as a B-29 bomber pilot flying sorties over Japan from Guam; a Christian and member of First Baptist Spartanburg for more than 75 years; a father to five in Duncan Park; a businessman and entrepreneur; a salesman. He kept his mind sharp with daily rounds of “Words with Friends” and the Herald Journal’s “Cryptoquote”.
Milt was a standout athlete at Greer High School and Wofford College, where he earned letters in all four sports. He was the last Wofford athlete to earn 14 letters, three each for football and basketball (freshmen were not eligible to play varsity in those sports), and four letters each in baseball and track-and-field.
Among his other sports achievements: he was a scout for the Boston Red Sox and discovered Jim Rice, who played for Boston. He rejected a minor league baseball contract when he returned from the Army Air Corps in 1946 because he didn’t feel it would adequately support his family. Instead, he joined Crutchfield’s Sporting Goods as a salesman, and then began his own sporting goods store, Maness Sporting Goods. For many years he was a manufacturer’s rep selling educational supplies to schools throughout South Carolina. When he was 72, he helped found Spartan Alarm, which he later sold.
He joined the Army after he left Wofford and earned a spot in the Army Air Corps. He flew bombing raids over Japan from Guam. He was later in the Air Force Reserves, where he attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He was the “Voice of the Spartanburg High School Vikings” football team as public address announcer for 46 years, ending in 2007.
A supportive father, he helped son Binky found a youth basketball squad, The Junior Trotters, which entertained at halftime shows from Rochester, NY, to Florida for many Atlantic Coast Conference and SEC schools and tournaments. Along with his late friend Bob Tallant, he sponsored and coached Pony League teams in Spartanburg for a dozen years.
He and Jo’ were members of First Baptist Spartanburg since making their home here in 1946; a member of the Early Fellowship Class at First Baptist; and a member of Downtown Sertoma for many years.
Survivors are his sons, Milton Brown “Binky” Maness Jr. (Eileen), Mark Reed Maness; daughters, Melinda M. Gray (Clifford “Chip”), Molly Jo’ Maness Horton (Mike Small), and Mia Lauren Maness; two special sisters-in-law, Patsy Reed Turner and Mattie “Midget” Reed Turner; ten grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and a beloved friend, Margie Johnson.
Predeceased by a granddaughter, Hayley Maness Fust (25 Dec 1970 – 19 Jun 2016).
A memorial service was held later.
Memorials could be made to First Baptist Spartanburg, Spartanburg, SC, or Wounded Warrior Project, Topeka, KS.
Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel
Spartanburg, SC
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