Barbara Lee Manson

Barbara Lee Manson, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away on November 19th, 2024 from her battle with dementia at the age of 87. A memorial service will be held at Baum-Carlock-Bumgardner Funeral Home in Mineral Wells, TX on Friday, November 22 at 10 AM.  

Born on April 4, 1937 in Easton, PA to Paul and Evelyn Carty, Barbara grew up as the oldest child with two younger brothers: Paul and Tom Carty. She enjoyed a wonderful childhood and was notably a self-proclaimed “daddy’s girl.” She attended Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights, IL where in 1952 she met her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Charles Mathew Manson (Mat), at the age of 15. They married in 1957 while attending Illinois State University where she studied Elementary Education. 

 After graduation, Barbara and Mat moved to Pasadena, CA in 1959 where they had two children: Michael Scott Manson (Mike) in 1961 and Patricia Lee Manson (Patti) in 1964. Barbara always spoke fondly of her time in California and enjoyed raising her two young children there until they moved in 1967 to Kansas City, KS where Mike and Patti spent the majority of their childhood. While in Kansas City, Barbara and Mat created lifelong friendships, fell in love with aviation and started a family business that they eventually moved to Del Rio, TX in 1974. 

 After moving to Del Rio, Barbara decided to earn her pilot’s license as well. The family enjoyed traveling all over the United States in their CESSNA 175 and have incredibly joyful and funny stories from these years in the sky. 

 They eventually landed in Mineral Wells, TX where Mike and Patti attended high school and Mat and Barbara continued their careers. In her later years, Barbara enjoyed working at several organizations in Mineral Wells including the Historical Society and the Palo Pinto Museum. She and Mat also picked up a love for equestrian life here where they had many horses and organized equine events. 

 Barbara is survived by her husband, Charles Mathew Manson; son, Michael (Alicia) Manson; daughter, Patti Manson Wielenga; granddaughters, Crystal Murphy (Truett) Novosad, Loren Alexandria (Max) Klinedinst, Kasi Wielenga, Darci Wielenga; grandson, Michael Addison Manson; and great-grandchildren, Weston Novosad and Audrey Jo Klinedinst. 

 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Barbara’s memory to the Palo Pinto Museum.