Doris Eastland Manci died peacefully in San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 26, 2015, succumbing to the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease, in the company of her beloved husband Joe.
Doris was born on Sept. 6, 1925 in Waco, Texas to George M. and Emma Belle Eastland Smith. She married Orlando J. Manci Jr. (Joe), son of Orlando J. and Maude Lowery Manci of Bay Minette, Ala. on March 23, 1951.
Doris graduated from Baylor University in 1944, having majored French. However, music was her real passion, starting at age 4 while sitting at the piano with her father. While still in high school Doris took master classes with Silvio Scionti and toured military installations in Texas under USO sponsorship.
After Baylor, Doris did graduate work at Smith College before entering the Julliard School of Music, where she studied with Alfred Mirovitch. Later she earned her master’s degree in piano pedagogy at Texas Woman’s University.
Doris shared her music eagerly throughout her life. She taught in her home for over 40 years, influencing the lives of over 400 students and played gladly at many social events.
She especially enjoyed hosting recitals in her home, encouraging her students and many professional musicians to demonstrate their talents. She was active in the Van Cliburn competition and in the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth, where she was a founding board member.
In 1951 Doris interrupted her music career to launch a new career as Air Force wife and homemaker, marrying Orlando Joseph Manci Jr. (Joe), son of the late Orlando J. and Maude Lowrey Manci, late of Bay Minette, Ala. at her home in Waco, Texas.
As Joe’s Air Force career took them from New Mexico to Belgium, Doris took her music and her developing competitive golf game along. She won the championship of all the ladies’ golf associations to which she belonged, sang in choirs with Joe and served as organist in many of the churches to which they belonged. More importantly, Doris became the mother of three active children, and gave them the foundation of the successful lives that they are now living.
She employed her travel experience to become a wonderful cook, and her family fondly remembers her adventurous and delicious meals.
After Joe retired in 1970, the family moved to Ann Arbor (Mich.), Dallas (Texas), Auburn (Ala.) and Arlington (Texas) before moving to Air Force Village II (now Blue Skies of Texas – West) while Joe developed careers in computers, aerospace and academia.
With the children finishing college and establishing their own careers, Doris devoted more time to community work and, especially, to work in the music community. She played in nursing homes, studied music therapy and did practical work in its application to special needs children, worked with the Cliburn Foundation and was active in the founding and development of the Fort Worth Chamber Music Society.
Doris and Joe hosted a young Russian, Alexandre Moutouzkine, a competitor in the 2001 Cliburn International Piano Competition. Their love of and respect for this brilliantly talented pianist has grown into a warm and close relationship with the entire family that has brought joy and warmth to these our later years.
Doris is survived by her husband of 65 years, Joe Manci; their children, Frank Manci (Brenda) of Mansfield, Texas, Susan Howell (Bill) of Topsfield; Mass., Sarah Carter (Randy) of Boone, N.C. and Alexandre (Sasha) Moutouzkine; six beloved grandchildren, Drew Howell of Topsfield, Charlotte Ann Howell of McMurdo Base, Antarctica, Matthew Carter (Megan) of Nashville, Tenn., Caitlin Carter Mundt of Boston, Mass., Michael Manci of Gunnison, Colo. and Andrea Manci of Maypearl, Texas.
A memorial service will be celebrated at the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Bay Minette, Ala. on March 19, 2016, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The Rev. Jay D. Cooper, pastor of FUMC of Bay Minette, and the Rev. Julia Webb Bowden, Doris’ niece, pastor of Bethany UMC in Durham, N.C. will officiate.
The family would like to thank the very special caregivers at Freedom House and the Vista of Air Force Village in San Antonio, Texas for their compassionate dedication to Doris’ care during this final period of her life.
