They came from Idaho, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia as well as Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood and Morris.
Nineteen friends and family came to Orland Park Saturday morning to pay tribute to veteran Howard Manning, a longtime Orland Park resident who died in October at age 90 of COVID-19.
Manning was one of 53 veterans honored with a banner displayed along Ravinia Avenue from 143rd Street to 159th Street. The village of Orland Park held a dedication to honor those veterans and provided shuttles to the families and friends
The ceremony, held at the Ara Pace memorial, drew close to 300 people and included speeches from retired Army Lt. Col. Dale Carver, retired Army Sgt. Darryl Wertheim and Mayor Keith Pekau, who was an Air Force captain.
Carver said when the banner initiative was announced late last year, it sold out “in like zero time.”
He said this was the inaugural year for this event and plans to continue hosting it to honor more veterans and heroes.
Months ago, the Manning entourage planned on using the Fourth of July weekend to bring the family together to honor Howard, gather at Aurelio’s in Homewood for a family dinner and watch some fireworks.
His wife, Arleen, was touched by many parts of the activities Saturday, including Tinley Park’s Gary Lang of Veterans Voices planting an American flag near the light pole that houses the banner on Ravinia Avenue and West Street.
At one point the 86-year-old looked up at the banner and said, “I love you, Howard.”
Howard was an Army corporal who was awarded the Bronze Star during of the Korean War.
In a 2001 book, “Lest We Forget, Orland Park Salutes Its Veterans,” Howard said he marched in the last Army Day parade in New York City in April 1949.
But the war had its share of horror that he experienced.
“I was witness to the Taejon massacre of 3,500 South Koreans by North Korean forces as they were retreating,” he said in the book. “The South Koreans were buried to their hips with their hands tied behind backs and shot in the head.”
After being discharged in 1952, Manning ended up in Orland Park seven years later and lived there with Arleen for more than 60 years. He was an employee of Illinois Bell for 40 years.
Family members remembered good times.
“He wasn’t a Hometown Hero, he was a superhero,” said his daughter, Christine McEvoy. “He was the best dad in the world.”
“He was such a family man and he always loved having us over and playing games and loving all the time we spent together,” granddaughter Danielle Enders said.
Cassie Menagh, his oldest granddaughter, is the mother of his two great grandsons, Caden and Carter. She said she remembered the three sitting at a kitchen table and talking about birds.
Granddaughter Alicia McEvoy remember him giving out bear hugs.
“He would always hold on a little tighter,” she said.
His daughter, Catherine Enders, didn’t hold back in her praise.
“He was the best man, the best dad, the best grandfather and the best husband,” she said. “He’s very sorely missed.”
Manning’s health was slowly going downhill in recent years but family members were thrilled when he reached his 90th birthday June 1, 2020.
Because of the pandemic, friends and neighbors had a parade in front of his house.
Both Arleen and Howard had COVID-19 in the fall. Arleen got through hers and when Howard went to a hospital Oct. 2 and Arleen was not allowed to go and visit, she figured he would be back in a week or two.
“None of us thought he wouldn’t come home,” Arleen said. “No matter what, he always came home.”
Manning died Oct. 8 without his family around to give their final goodbyes.
While that was a sad time for the family, this Fourth of July weekend was more for celebrating his life thanks in part to the Hometown Heroes celebration.
“This is absolutely wonderful for all of the veterans,” his son, Michael Manning, said. “This would have meant a lot to him.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
