MANNING, CHARLES RUSHING (1912 ~ 2002). Charles Rushing "Rush" Manning, educator and legislator, was born in Shelby County, Texas, on August 13, 1912, to C.A. and Frances Watson Manning. After graduation from high school, Mr. Manning attended Sam Houston State Teachers College where he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in vocational agriculture.
He was a career educator teaching vocational agriculture and many other subjects in the Pasadena, Burleson and Rio Vista School Districts. For many years he was the Future Farmers of America (FFA) sponsor in the schools where he taught. In 1940, he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from Shelby County and served two terms as a State Representative.
He was a 32nd Degree Mason and a 65- year member Master Mason of Timpson Lodge 437. As a lifelong Democrat, he loved to participate in political campaigns and Democratic Party politics. In 1961, he married Opal Carter and helped raise her son. Their 40- year marriage was filled with happiness, travel, dancing, and, their first love, helping others recover from the ravages of alcoholism.
Until 1997, they lived in Burleson, south of Fort Worth, after which they moved to Austin to be closer to their grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Opal in December 2000.
Information taken from obituary, Austin American-Statesman April 12, 2002 and Texas State Cemetery file materials.
