Douglas Heath Manley, 42, of Athens, TN and formerly of Cleveland, TN, passed away at his home on Saturday, July 12, 2014.
Dr. Manley presently served as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Keyboard Studies at Tennessee Wesleyan College, Athens, TN, where he has been a fulltime faculty member since 2007. He was also the Director of Music and Organist at Keith Memorial United Methodist Church (the first so honored to hold both posts), also in Athens. He served St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church, Cleveland, TN, as Saturday and holy day organist, and, he maintained an active K-12 studio, piano and organ, in Athens. He was very proud of his keyboard students in his studio and considered them some of his greatest accomplishments. Most recently, Dr. Manley served on the faculties at both Cleveland State Community College, Cleveland, TN, and Tusculum College, Knoxville, TN, and, as Director of Music at the First Presbyterian Church, also in Cleveland. He also served in the music ministry at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Candies Creek Baptist Church, North Cleveland Baptist Church, all of Cleveland, TN and at First Baptist Church, Etowah, TN. A native of Cleveland, TN, Manley graduated with honors in the top 10 of his class from Bradley Central High School in 1990. He studied at Lee University, Carson-Newman College, the University of Louisville, Southern Seminary, and the world-renowned University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. While at Carson-Newman, he received countless awards and honors, including the Composition Award, the Outstanding Graduate in Music Award, and the rarely-awarded Performer’s Certificate in Keyboard Performance. Manley studied piano with Paul Ridgway, a former student of Leon Fleischer, and both organ and composition with James L. Pethel. In 1995, he was honored to perform as guest alumnus and, in 1997, he was a guest presenter for the annual Church Music Symposium. Manley served his Louisville assistantship as accompanist and organist for the university choruses, performing works such as Poulenc’s Christmas motets, Husa’s Te Deum, and, Holst’s The Planets, with orchestra. He studied organ with Melvin Dickinson, a former student of Helmut Walcha, and, the founder and director of The Louisville Bach Society; he also co-chaired the keyboard faculty of the Ursuline School of the Performing Arts, and, served The Louisville Bach Society as a chorister (bass), and, as staff assistant.In 1996, Manley was named a finalist in Cincinnati’s Strader Organ Competition, enabling him to study at the College-Conservatory of Music with David Mulbury, also a former student of Helmut Walcha. While in Cincinnati, Manley served as organist and music associate, with Dr. Patrick O. Coyle, and, as youth ministry associate, with the Rev. Paul Sittason Stark, at the St. Paul United Methodist Church where he helped start both a preparatory program (the St. Paul Community Music School), and, coordinate the performance efforts of the St. Paul Presents fine arts concert series. After completing his doctoral coursework in 1999, Dr. Manley served on the faculty of Carson-Newman College, and, the staff of the First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, TN, performing works such as Robert Ray’sGospel Mass, and, Daniel Gawthrop’s Behold This Mystery, with Gawthrop. Throughout his career, Manley has conducted, accompanied, and/or sung most of the major masterworks of the choral and orchestral/organ repertoires. He has served churches as pianist, organist, director of music, and youth ministry associate throughout the South and the Midwest, and, he has co-directed and/or accompanied a number of stage works, including Wesleyan’s productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and The Fantasticks. Manley was an active member of the major professional music associations and related academic organizations, including the College Music Society, the American Musicological Society, the Music Teachers National Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Pi Kappa Lambda, and, the American Guild of Organists. He holds the Service Playing (SPC) and Colleague (CAGO) certificates from the Guild; he has also been a board member of the Cincinnati, Knoxville, and Chattanooga chapters, serving as dean of the Chattanooga chapter, 2005–2006. He is also recognized as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) by the MTNA. Manley’s hymnological research endeavors were recognized by The Hymn Society with the awarding of the Austin C. Lovelace scholarship grant in 1997, and, his doctoral dissertation was published in cooperation with the Graduate Theological Foundation in 2004 as Faith and Reason: A Musicological Perspective (ISBN 0-9740232-3-X). He regularly attends professional conferences, including the 2012 National Convention of the AGO in Nashville, TN, and, works through related organizations and grants, such as the Appalachian College Association and the Chicago Center, LearnChicago 2012. Manley received one of the coveted Wesleyan faculty awards for his work, inside and outside the classroom, in spring, 2013. At present, Dr. Manley’s aforementioned book is in progress for a revised second edition. He received the distinguished honor of serving as organist and director for the 2009 ordination and installation of the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville, attended by 7,000 and broadcast live via radio, television, and internet from Knoxville, TN. Manley also served as organist for the annual meeting of the Holston Conference at Lake Junaluska, NC, in 2009, 2010, and 2011 (an unprecedented three terms). Throughout 2008–2010, he served as accompanist, and eventual board member, for both the Monroe County Opera, and, the Athens Area Community Chorus, strongly supporting the community and the local arts. Dr. Manley was a member of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Athens, and other local organizations.
Dr. Manley was preceded in death by his father, A.C. Manley; and his grandparents, Rev. Ralph C. Brooks and Sarah Gillis Brooks and Mr. and Mrs. L.P. Manley.
He is survived by his mother, Margaret Brooks Manley; sister, Carla Manley Brown and brother-in-law J. Mack Brown; and his much beloved niece, Bethany Leigh Brown; dear friend, Ms. Paula Johnson of Knoxville; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, July 16, 2from 5-8 p.m. at the Ralph Buckner Funeral Home, Cleveland.
There will also be a visitation on Thursday, July 17, from 12-1 p.m. with funeral mass to begin at 1 p.m. at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church, Cleveland, with Father Michael Nolan presiding along with guest ministers, The Rev. Dr. Keith Wheeler and The Rev. Dennie Humphreys. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens.
The family suggests that memorials be made to the Child Fund International at www.childfund.org.
Ralph Buckner Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.