Loving husband and father, Larry Ray Manley, passed from this life on August 11, 2022. Larry was born on October 7, 1947, in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dorothy and James (Burney) Manley. Larry is survived by his wife of 40 years, Debbie Manley; his son, Cody Ray Manley, of Tulsa, OK; brother, Richard D. and Leslie Manley, of Oklahoma City; and nephew, Rick and Kathy Manley, of West Palm Beach, Florida. He leaves behind his loving extended family including mother-in-law, Patricia Hamilton Stephens of Tulsa, OK; sister-in-law, Leisa and Joe Hart of Plattsburgh, NY; sister-in-law, Gayle and Royal Crabtree, and their 3 sons, Michael, Matthew, and Marcus Crabtree of Naples, FL.
Larry started his career in sales with Xerox, before pursuing his passion for real estate as a commercial real estate specialist for several commercial real estate agencies, including Bauer & Associates for the past 22 years. If you have lived in Tulsa, you have surely passed one of the signs bearing his name.
Larry graduated Central High School in Tulsa in 1965, and Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, with a bachelor's degree in business and marketing. He was a member of the Delta Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Soon after college, he toured the country in his classic MG Triumph convertible before returning to Tulsa and beginning to build his famously strong network of business associates, customers, and friends that grew throughout the years. Quite the adventurer, he liked scuba diving, deep sea fishing and picking up his guitar "Russ" that he lovingly gave to Cody for his 33rd birthday.
There isn't a Larry without a Debbie. Not much of a surprise that their paths should cross. Larry met Debbie (Hamilton) Manley in 1982 while she was working at a real estate office and from there, they built a life together over the next 40 years. The greatest joy of their lives was the arrival of their son, Cody.
An avid gardener, his flowers, tropical plants and golf worthy lawn were the envy and amazement of everyone who came to admire them. He'd give you a starter plant even though he knew it may not make it once it was out of his expert care.
Words that have been used to describe him would be that he is one-in-a-million, always smiling and joking, never met a stranger, never passed up the opportunity to kid around, loved to make you laugh, and we're better for having him in our lives He loved grilling and visiting some of his favorite restaurants like Ike's Chili, Claude's Hamburgers, Bill's Jumbo Burgers, Coney Islander, Jamil's, and My Thai Kitchen.
He will forever be cherished and remembered as a loving husband, father, and one of the smartest, most interesting people and friend to everyone he came to know.
A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Thursday, August 18, at Moore Funeral Home, Southlawn Chapel, 9350 East 51st Street, Tulsa, OK.
Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233