James Christopher Manning passed away peacefully April 23, 2020 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston after a long illness. He was 58 years old.  Born in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, Jimmy was the beloved son of Nancy L. (Bates) Manning and the late Atty. Thomas R. Manning.  The second of six children, Jimmy grew up in a home filled with love and laughter.  As a young child, he enjoyed trips to Mt. Vernon, the Smithsonian, fireworks at Washington Monument, and visiting his Dad at the Pentagon.  In 1966, the Manning family moved to North Adams where Jimmy attended Greylock Elementary School and made his First Communion at Holy Family Church.  Jimmy's father taught him to fish on Green River and he learned to swim at Windsor Lake.  When they moved to Adams, Jimmy attended Pine Cobble School in Williamstown.  An adventuresome and athletic child, Jimmy skied with his sister, Mary Ellen, and classmates at Jiminy Peak where he whizzed down black diamond trails.  He enjoyed field trips to The Clark Art Institute and ice skating at Williams College Rink.

In 1969, Jimmy moved to Pittsfield where he attended Egremont Elementary School, South Junior High School, and Pittsfield High School.  He excelled in sports and played basketball at The Boys Club.  In 1973, Jimmy was selected the millionth member of The Boys Clubs of America.  Jimmy was on the Today Show with Joe Garagiola and several local TV shows, including Midday Show with actor Eli Wallach.

Friendly and popular, Jimmy was called Archie by his friends.  He played soccer and baseball, playing catcher for his City Savings Little League and G.E.A.A. Babe Ruth teams.  He and his friends built a log cabin in the woods where they had many fun parties.  He enjoyed Tanglewood concerts and meeting friends at Palmer's to play cards.  After high school, Jimmy joined friends in Florida and Texas and worked in construction.

In 1983, Jimmy went to New Jersey to help a friend with a roofing job; he stayed 25 years and worked for Danny Ferrara Roofing and Sheetmetal, Inc. in Spring Lake for six years.  A talented coppersmith, Jimmy began working at Chester Heulitt, Inc. in Spring Lake Heights in 1989.  For 14 years he worked as a foreman doing custom metal fabrication and installed custom cupolas, church steeples, standing roofs, bay windows, skylights, chimney flashing, chimney caps, built-in and hanging gutters, leaders, leader heads, weathervanes and finials.  Jimmy's fine work was known throughout the area.  His boss, Don, loved him like a son.  When Don retired, Jimmy joined the Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local 27 Southern New Jersey as a journeyman.  He was a foreman at Everett Thorn, Inc.  Jimmy could make anything out of metal, but most enjoyed working with copper.  He worked on historic restorations of churches and forts throughout New Jersey.  Jimmy loved his white German Shepard, Mickey, who rode in the passenger seat of his truck.

Always kind and helpful, Jimmy was quick to offer to lend a hand to family and friends.  He made beautiful, standing seam copper roofs for Mary Ellen's kitchen addition and bay window, and helped her husband, George, with their renovation.  Thanksgiving was Jimmy's favorite holiday.  He loved helping George prepare the feast and spending time with family.  One year he crafted and installed a stainless steel chimney cap for them before they carved the turkey! While visiting, he and his brother, Richard, often played games of pool and cribbage.

In 2007, Jimmy married Lee Steiner at Lake Tahoe.  When he moved to Las Vegas, Jimmy, Lee and her five-year-old son, Ethan, drove across the country.  They had fun visiting national parks, including the Grand Canyon.  Through the years, they enjoyed camping at Yosemite National Park, Donner Memorial State Park, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks.  They skied at Squaw Valley, where Jimmy again enjoyed the thrill of skiing black diamond trails.  He loved being a father and attending Ethan's marching band competitions.  In his leisure time, Jimmy had fun going to casinos to see shows and try his luck.  He was a good cook and always cooked the Thanksgiving turkey.  A few weeks ago before his last trip to Boston, Jimmy cooked Lee and Ethan delicious meals and made sure to make Ethan's favorite, beef stroganoff.  A couple years ago, they stayed with friends in the Berkshires for a month and had a wonderful time.  They had hoped to move back to the Berkshires after Ethan graduated from high school this year.

Jimmy was a proud member of Sheet Metal Workers International Association Local 88 in Las Vegas, Nevada.   He worked for Hansen Mechanical Contractors for four years building the Cosmopolitan.  Jimmy was in Reno working on Tesla's Gigafactory when he became ill in 2016.  He flew to Boston for medical care and stayed with his sister, Mary Ellen, in Wellfleet for many months.  At sunset, he would sit outside and watch for coyotes that ran closeby.  When he was able, Jimmy returned to Las Vegas and flew back to Boston often for medical care.  Always helpful, Jimmy never complained.  Just last month he fixed a broken door at his sister, Jennifer's house.  Jimmy was happy to be able to celebrate Jean Ann's 50th birthday with her in March.

Generous and thoughtful, Jimmy often gave found treasures to family.  He loved going to the Swap Shop with George.  Jimmy was very talented and could build and fix anything.  He created beautiful metal objects for fun, including weathervanes, Bowie knives, and metal-topped walking sticks.  He liked watching movies, Antiques Roadshow, American Pickers, the History and Discovery Channels.  Jimmy had a keen wit, handsome smile, and gentle soul.   He had a wonderful personality and great sense of humor.  Jimmy was a much loved son, husband, stepfather, and brother who will be greatly missed.

Jimmy leaves his beloved wife, Lee Steiner (Sesko) and stepson, Ethan Sesko of Las Vegas, Nevada; mother, Nancy L. Manning (Bates) of West Roxbury; sister, Mary Ellen Manning and her husband, George Bono of Wellfleet; brother, John Manning of Norwood; sister, Jean Ann Manning, and brother, Richard Manning of West Roxbury; and sister, Jennifer Manning of Norwood.  Jimmy was the beloved son of the late Atty. Thomas R. Manning.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be at a later date.  The family would like to thank Dr. Michael Curry and his team for the wonderful care Jimmy received.  In Jimmy's memory, donations may be made to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in care of Dr. Michael Curry's Liver Research Fund, 330 Brookline Ave., c/o Development Office, Boston, MA 02215 by clicking the following link: https://secure3.convio.net/bidmc/site/Donation2?4902.donation=form1&df_id=4902&mfc_pref=T or by calling 617-667-7330.