Rodney D. Manchester

Rodney Donald Manchester Rodney Donald Manchester died at home in Vancouver, Washington, on October 19, 2013. Rod was able to be at home with family at the time of his death and died from complications associated with cancer. Rod was born in August of 1955 to Sally and Don Manchester and lived in Vancouver all his life. He had a younger sister, Melinda, and a close knit extended family. Growing up Rod attended the Assembly of God Church in Vancouver where his grandfather was the minister. Rod enjoyed spending time camping with his family. A favorite spot to camp was Cranberry Lake State Park just south of Deception Pass Bridge. Rod was mesmerized by the whirlpools under the bridge and told of seeing logs standing straight up before disappearing into the depths of the channel. In school, Rod loved mathematics, science, and music. He played the trumpet in the concert, marching, and jazz bands at Jason Lee Junior High and Columbia River High School. While attending Clark Community College, Rod continued playing his trumpet in the jazz band. Rod met his future wife, Starla, in band during his senior year and her sophomore year of high school. Married in 1976, they recently celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary. Rod started working as a clerk in the grocery business but was drawn to law enforcement. He began his career as a reserve deputy before joining the sheriff's department in 1980. During his 30 years, Rod had various assignments including being a member of the drug and narcotics task force and the commercial vehicle unit. Early in his life, Rod developed a love of gardening that continued throughout his life. Most recently he took on the challenge of growing Meyer lemons and orchids in addition to the more typical crops. Gardening finally led to a love of canning, cooking, and baking. Rod was known for his wonderful breads and beef stroganoff. Throughout his life, Rod continued to spend time in the Whidbey Island area. Eventually, he found a spot to build his retirement home near LaConner, Washington. Rod developed even more skills as he put in hundreds of hours and a lot of sweat into the home. Whenever possible, you could find Rod "up north," working on the house, working in the yard or garden, fishing, or visiting with neighbors. There was no doubt, Rod absolutely loved being there. Rod also loved to take cruises which is saying a lot since his first cruise included the ship hitting an island and tearing off a prop just short of Ketchikan, Alaska. Undaunted he went to Alaska the next year and then went on to cruise through the Panama Canal and then from London to New York. This cruise did include a true storm in the North Atlantic and while others were laying low, Rod was having a blast watching the storm and trying to keep his balance. In February of this year, Rod ventured away from cruising and took his first trip to Hawaii. Although he thought it was fun, he was busy looking for the next cruise. While Rod didn't have children of his own, dogs and cats including those borrowed from friends and neighbors were part of his life. He was known to make sure the food was always on hand for four-legged visitors. Rod also went the extra mile interacting with his nephews, children of friends, and kids in the neighborhood both in Vancouver and LaConner. With his quick wit and a smile, he teased, encouraged, and asked what and how they were doing. And if, by chance, they were veering off the "straight and narrow," Rod never shied away from giving his opinion or advice but with a warmth that communicated his care. Rod was an avid reader of anything related to bible prophecy. He began this interest through conversations with his grandfather when he was young and continued to be curious throughout his life. As he studied more and more, his excitement about being raptured grew in proportion. He thought it would be wonderful to be walking on the beach in LaConner with Starla and be raptured to Heaven. As his time on Earth drew to a close, Rod was looking forward to going to his heavenly home. Rod is survived by his wife, Starla, and his sister, Melinda Manchester Donberger, of Olympia, Washington. He is preceded in death by his parents Sally and Don Manchester. A memorial service will be held at Hillcrest Church of the Nazarene where Rod has attended since 1995. The service will be on Sunday, November 3, at 2:00 in the afternoon. The church address is 14410 NW 21st Avenue, Vancouver, Washington. A reception will follow immediately after the service in the fellowship hall. In Rod's memory, his family encourages you to consider performing a random act of kindness with a heartfelt smile.

Rodney D. Manchester

August 22, 1955 - October 19, 2013