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Established 1948    Denison Herald February 4, 1998 Denison - C.J. "Mac" McManus, a long time resident, business and civic leader of Denison, died peacefully of heart complications February 2, 1996. He was born September 11, 1915 in Wood County, Texas, son of Paul and Pearl McManus. He married Pearl Fleming on January 30, 1933 in Durant, Oklahoma. He was an active member of Parkside Baptist Church in Denison. He was preceded in death by brother, Euel McManus; sisters, Eunice Green and Ima M. Bradley. Survivors are his wife of 65 years; 2 sons, C.J. McManus, Jr, and wife, Joan, of Las Vegas, Nevada; and Paul McManus and wife, Vick, of Plano; 8 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. McManus came to Denison with his family in 1928 where his father opened a small dry goods store on Main Street. In 1935 McManus opened his own store, a pawn shop, and a year later opened his first Dad & Lad's Store at 213 W. Main. In 1942 he relocated his Dad & Lad's Store to the 300 block of Main. He temporarily closed his store in Denison and put the Dad & Lad's name on his supply tent on the island of Guadacanal, courtesy of the U.S. Navy's 46th Seabees Battalion. He had a 33 month Grand tour of the South Pacific. Returning to Denison, Chief Petty Officer McManus reopened his Dad & Lad's store in partnership with fellow Seabee Robert D. Wilson in 1946. This was the beginning of a life-long business association and friendship that expanded into MWM Investment Partnership and several Dad & Lad's stores in the Dallas Metroplex. After 20 years as Regional Salesman for the St. Louis-based Curlee Clothing Co. where he won a dozen awards as the national firm's top salesman, he joined forces with David Bayless, Sr. of Denison and Forrest Elkins of Dallas and bought Curlee Clothing Co. and served as Board Chairman. The Curlee business was sold in 1981 to Palm Beach Clothing Co. Even though he lived in Dallas and was a member of the Executive Committee Board of Directors, Allie Lakewood Bank of Dallas, his roots and heart were in Denison. With MWM Investment Co. he purchased the old Katy Railroad Depot in 1983 and helped the transformation of it to a commercial and community activity center. He maintained an office in the depot complex until his health was greatly impaired. A well-earned community service record won for him the repeated acclaim of his fellow townsmen. In 1986 he was saluted by a "C.J. McManus Day" and earlier received the Rotary Club's Outstanding Service Award and the Lion's Club Harold Rogers Award for civic service. He was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International in April 1996. He served as president of the Retail Merchants Association and Director of the Chamber of Commerce. He was a Mason and member of the Rotary Club of Denison. R.C. Vaughan of Sherman, a retired Senior District Judge, has recently done a series on C.J. McManus, appearing in the Herald Democrat Sunday papers. Memorials may be made to Parkside Baptist Church Building Fund, 301 N. Lillis, Denison, Texas 75020; Katy Plaza Park, City of Denison, P.O. Box 347, Denison, Texas 75020 in lieu of flowers. Services were held Thursday morning, February 5, 1998 in Parkside Baptist Church with Dr. Chet Haney and R.C. Vaughan officiating. Burial followed at Cedarlawn Memorial Park in Sherman. Pallbearers were David Bayless, Sr., Bobby Brown, James McManus,Bryan McManus, Alex McManus, and Scott McManus. Honorary pallbearers were Robert D. Wilson, Forrest Elkins, Floyd Smith, Bill Russell, Harold Brandt, and Dr. Truman Wester. Bratcher Funeral Home of Denison was in charge of arrangements.  Cedarlawn Cemetery Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |