Obituary of Ernest Ray Maney

Ernest Ray Maney, age 93, passed away on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 in his home in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. His ancestors purchased their Smokemont Home Place from Champion Company. This is where his parents lived when they married and he was born April 25, 1930. He and his family moved from Smokemont to Whittier in 1934 when the Great Smokey Mountain Park was being formed. When he was in the 3rd grade, the family moved to Ela then Nantahala Dam area before settling in Bryson City. He graduated from Swain County High School then joined the Army in 1948. He and his beloved wife, Barbara, were married November 26, 1949 soon after he was discharged from the Army. He worked for Carolina Wood Turning Co in Bryson City until he was hired at Ecusta (Olin Corporation) where he worked 21 years. He left to become a self-employed handyman for a period of time before becoming Maintenance Supervisor for Hilton Inn in Asheville. He served as Maintenance Manager at Balsam Grove Apartments, Greenville SC Housing Authority, Bird Rock Falls and Fontana Village Resort. He later returned to Olin Corporation as a security guard and retired in 1985. He enjoyed gardening, camping and traveling. He was also a supervisor when the Sliding Rock Recreation area was built. One of his proudest accomplishments was his work with the Brevard Rescue Squad (now Transylvania County Rescue Squad). He was one of the founding members in 1961 and served as an officer when they started the Squad. Ernest was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Barbara Greene Maney, daughter, Deborah Maney Fields, his parents Laura Kirkland Maney and Julius Homer Maney, brother and sister-in-law, James Russell Maney (Louise Wiggins Maney), and his beloved dog, Babe. Ernest is survived by brother Paul Travis Maney, half-sister Kathryn “Katie” Bell, daughter Sandra (Doyle) Odom, son Bruce (Donna) Maney, daughter Donna (Mike) Duty, Son-in-law Jay Fields and Amy York. He is survived by 9 grandchildren, Rene (Scott) Watson, Carla (Britt) Blankenship, Jennifer (John) Suttle, Christopher (Kate) Duty, Nicole (Andy) Jewell, Shelley (Marty) Putnam, Heather (Matthew) James, Joshua Maney and Rebecca McKernan, and Ryan Odom. He and Barbara have 21 great grandchildren: Cody Buchanan (Nicole Riddle), Austin Herndon (Amanda Chason), Ethan Herndon(Shannan Dowling), John Mark Blankenship, Mitchell Watson, Samuel Blankenship, Spencer Duty, Kayli Scott, Dylan Watson, Katelyn Blankenship, Owen Jewell, Sarah Blankenship, Davis Duty, Carter Duty, Landon Suttle, Karli Scott, Hadley Gaskins, Caedan Suttle, Caroline Jewell, Kyler James, and Aife Maney, and great great granddaughter Lillie Buchanan. Donations can be made to the Transylvania County Rescue Squad, P. O. Box 562, Brevard, NC 28712. Funeral Services will be held 2:00 PM Sunday at Crisp Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Swain Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 1:00 PM until 2:00 PM Sunday at the Funeral Home. Ernest's service will be live streamed on the website at crispfuneralhome.org