Barbara Mae Manning

Barbara Manning left her earthly body on August 30, 2025 at Ridgecrest Regional Hospital.
Barbara was born in Fresno, California on May 22, 1938 to Frances and Haskell Gentry. Barbara was preceded in birth by her twin brother, Richard "Dick".

Barbara's father abandoned his young family when Barbara and Dick were just a few months old. To support her new babies, Frances went to live with Barbara's grandparents in the railroad oil stations of California's central valley. Barbara and Dick spent their days running on the railroad tracks, and even got in trouble once for climbing to the top of the crossing arms.

Barbara graduated in 1956 from high school in Madera, California. She then met and married Larry Manning, who was in the Air Force. After Larry was honorably discharged from the service, they made their home in Los Angeles, California. While in LA, they welcomed their first daughter, Laurie. Larry started college, and soon they would move to Sacramento, California where Larry finished his engineering degree. While in Sacramento, they welcomed their son, Kenneth. After college, Larry accepted his first engineering job at the Naval Weapons Center, China Lake. Two years after arriving in China Lake, Larry and Barbara welcomed their third, and final child, Tracey.

Eventually, Larry and Barbara would divorce, which ultimately broke up the family. Barbara got a job on the base, and worked very hard to provide for her children. She loved to take Kenny and Tracey on small day trip adventures just to give the family something inexpensive to do. During one such adventure, Barbara was driving up a lone dirt road off Garlock Road when, off in the distance, she saw a white haired man with a beard down to his belly waving at her to come closer. With windows cracked, she spoke to the man, and discovered he was the caretaker of Burro Schmidt's cabins and tunnel. He gave Barbara and the kids a personal tour of the tunnel and the property.
Barbara had a keen sense of humor, and made friends very quickly. Barbara took pride in community involvement, and it showed from her many club affiliations. Barbara was on the board of Habit for Humanity where she participated in the "Women Build". The group's female members built a house from the ground up, and took great pride in what they'd accomplished. She also served on the board of United Way, Sister City Association, and Kiwanis.

Barbara retired from the base in the late '90s, and she filled her free time with her club activities, and traveling. In the early 2000s, Barbara reunited with daughter Laurie, who hadn't seen each other in decades. It was a beautiful reunion, and one that would bring them back to being mother and daughter. In 2020, she moved to High Desert Haven where she easily made a whole new group of friends, which she cherished until the very end.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, twin brother Dick, sister Cathy, and son Kenneth.
Barbara is survived by her daughter Laurie (Jeff) Davis of Bakersfield, Tracey (Kevin) Stanphill of Ridgecrest, grandson Mason Manning, and great-grandson Leo Manning.

Services will be held at Holland and Lyons Mortuary on September 27, 2025 at 10:00 am, with a reception to follow.
She will be sorely missed…