Jay "John" B. Manning, 69 of Rantoul passed away at 7:41 p.m. Sunday, October 20, 2019, at his home.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, October 24, 2019, at Baier Family Funeral Services, 406 E Pells Street, Paxton.

Visitation will follow the memorial service from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.

Jay "John" was born May 17, 1950 in Peoria the son of Glenwood and Shirley Schultz Manning. He married Rita Childress December 5, 2014, at St. John Lutheran Church, Champaign. She survives.

Along with his wife, Rita, he is survived by two sons, Ray Manning of Bloomington, Joe (Jo) Manning of Colorado Springs, Colorado; a step-daughter, Kristen Rakes of Los Angeles, California and nine grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Jay graduated from Woodruff High School, Peoria in 1968. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Christian Ministry from Lincoln Christian University and attended Lincoln Christian University Seminary. He was a minister in churches throughout the area including Church of the Redeemer, Urbana retiring in 2014. He was also a missionary in Zagreb, Yugoslavia for three years.

He enjoyed woodworking, photography, fishing, music, baseball and dogs. Jay was a friend to many and always looked forward to visiting and grabbing a bite to eat. People respected what he had to say and he was a mentor to many. He was known for his wit and humor.

Memorials may be made to OSF Hospice. Condolences may be offered at www.baierfuneralserivces.com.