James E. "Jim" Manes

A Memorial Service for Jim will be held on Monday, November 18, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ's Lutheran Church in Davenport, Nebraska with Pastor Beth Roegner presiding. No Visitation will be held as it was Jim's wishes to be cremated. Private Family Burial of Ashes will be held at a later date. Memorials are to be directed to Hope Lodge Nebraska or American Cancer Society. A livestream of Jim’s Memorial Service will be available on Farmer & Son Funeral Home Facebook page. You do not have to be on Facebook to view as it is a public Facebook page. The livestream will begin approximately 10 minutes before 11 a.m. on Monday. James Manes was born to Barbara and Donald Manes in Kirkwood, MO on December 20, 1969. He was quite a bit younger than his siblings Jeanie and Wes, and a bit of a surprise! Maybe a foreshadowing of the life he lived. Jim passed away on Saturday, November 9, 2024 in Omaha, NE at the age of 54. Jimmy, as his lifetime buddies Kraig and Terry called him, was raised in Ellisville, MO. As a boy he enjoyed all things sports: WWE wrestling, baseball and soccer, but especially football. The family moved to Lake of the Ozarks, MO for his teen years. He graduated from Camdenton High where he was a member of the 1987 Championship Football Team, forever forming his love of the game. His Dad taught him to love hunting, fishing and boating. He was quite a water skier, even barefoot skiing. After high school he tried a little college and realized it wasn’t for him. After meandering a bit, he and his ponytail worked as a boat mechanic at the Lakes. He also had his own DJ business and he was busy! He settled into the parts manager job at the marina. Then he met Kate, his love! Kate and Jim were married September 27, 2003 in Kansas City, MO and eventually made the Kansas City area their home. Jim had several jobs as he tried to find his niche but he really enjoyed worked for OOIDA as a claims adjuster. In the lean times of being newlyweds, they loved to go out on the water. Jim always wrangled a boat for them to use! Jim had no idea how much he would love being a dad until their first child, Ben Archer, was born in 2010 in Lee’s Summit, MO. A first-born son was a special treat! Deciding to return to Kate’s family in Nebraska, and to better hunting resources, the Manes family settled in Davenport, NE the Fall of 2011. Daughter Ellie entered the family in 2014 and Jim quickly embraced being a girl Dad, showing how soft his heart truly was. One of the first outfits he bought her was from Bass Pro. He settled into small-town life quite quickly, He was: a Volunteer Fire Department member, an EMT, elected to the Davenport School Board, a baptized member of the Christ Lutheran Church, and a soccer and softball coach. Jim was the beloved BDS Jr. High Football Coach. He loved being a coach. Ben and Ellie are his pride and legacy. Jim was a hands-on Dad, changing diapers, doing daycare drop-off or just hanging out and watching stupid movies! He loved teaching them to be competitive in sports, and to fish and hunt. His body was big but his heart was BIGGER. Landing in the insurance industry, Jim found his niche. He loved helping and serving people. PLUS the flexibility afforded him time to hunt, fish and most of all coach. He was Kate’s biggest cheerleader as she entered into the world of real estate and started her own company. Jim, Jimmy, Jimbo...whatever you called him you know: He loved Mizzou Football, Blues Hockey, the Steelers and the Cardinals. He loved his dogs and gave them names that coincided with his favorite wrestlers. He was not a fashionista, comfy pants and untied boots, or long johns and ball shorts were his vibe (which may have added to the occasional missing wallet). He loved traveling with Kate and they had many future destinations in their plans. Beaches with cocktails were his favorite. He was fun-loving, soft-hearted, kind, loyal and very generous. Jim was a BIG KID himself. Diagnosed with AML Leukemia in January 2024, he became a brave fighter. He NEVER lost hope and Wes’ perfect match gave him the best of chances. Unfortunately, the fight was too great for his body. Jim still asked for options up to the last day as he wanted to love on his family a little longer. Jim is survived by his wife Kate, son Ben, daughter Ellie, and furry friends Norman, NoraBelle and Lucy, mother Barbara Manes, sister Jeanie (Kevin) Tucker, brother Wes (Chris) Manes, and his beloved nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his dogs Moe and Maggie, Father Donald Manes and Father-in-law Lonnie Kennel.

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James E. "Jim" Manes

December 20, 1969 - November 9, 2024