Thomas Lee Maness, 66, of Richlands, was born on September 16, 1948 and died on September 3rd, 2015, both at Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC. He lived his entire life, except for military service in Jones and Onslow Counties, having attended Comfort Elementary School, Jones Central High School and Richlands High School. He taught fire fighting at various community colleges. Tom served as a Seaman in the US Navy in Vietnam, on a converted WW-II LST, on the Mekong River. During a time in which many avoided military service, Tom, with a medical exemption, could have avoided the military entirely. Instead, he considered it his patriotic duty and, after some difficulty, enlisted in the US Navy, volunteering for Vietnam duty. Regarding guard duty, Tom observed that: "If you see a flash of light on the shore and then hear a skeeter, it ain't! And there ain't any foxholes on a ship!" He was a US Navy Veteran, Fireman, Truck Driver, Militaria Dealer, but most of all he was a loving grandpa. He was known as the best papa in the world to his grandkids.
Tommy was preceded in death by his greatly beloved mother, Fannie Irene Griffin Hill.

Graveside services will be held 11:00 AM Friday at the Hill Family Cemetery, Richlands with Reverend Jim Jarman officiating.

Surviving are his two children; Thomas Lee Mannes, Jr. and his wife, Jennifer of Richlands and Madonna Irizarray of Richlands; his step father, John R. Hill of Richlands. Also surviving are his sisters, Bessie Gregware of Williamston, and Wanda Sue Jones both of Pink Hill, Linda Stanley, Cynthia Perez of TX and Nancy Philyal; two brothers, Lindsay Van Maness of Golden, CO and Randy Maness of SC; his grandchildren, Thomas Lee Maness, III, Galveston James Maness, and Briana of Hampton,VA and Brittany of Watertown, NY.

The family will receive friends Thursday from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at Jones Funeral Home, Richlands.