Bernice Cox Maness, 92, died on December 19th, 2023, at Heritage at Irene Woods in Memphis.
She was born October 2, 1931, in Chester County, TN to Forrest and Willie Mae Cox. Bernice married the love of her life, Denny Maness in 1950 and shortly thereafter the two of them set out for Memphis to find employment. She retired in 1987 from the Internal Revenue Service and they moved to a home she helped design and Denny built on the Tennessee River in Decatur County.
In 1997 things came full circle as Denny and Bernice moved back to the Maness family farm in Chester County. Bernice was a born again Christian having been saved at a young age and baptized in the muddy waters of a small creek in McNairy County. She lost her left arm in an accident when she was 7 and only a miracle saved her from the accompanying gangrene. Never once in her life did, she consider herself handicapped in any way.
She played sports in high school and even taught her kids how to tie their shoes and peel a potato with one hand. She lived by the motto of ‘Can’t never could do anything’. She enjoyed cooking and working in her flower gardens, but her true passion was her family.
Mrs. Maness is survived two children Pam Mattingly of Germantown, Phil (Debbie) Maness of Decaturville; a sister, Joan (David) Johnson and in-laws that were like siblings, Faye Pipkin, Ravon Maness, Garry (Jane)Maness and Lynda Maness. Finally, she leaves behind four grandchildren she loved dearly, Angela (Brian) Miller of Bella Vista, AR, Paul Briggs of Memphis, Andrew Maness of Decaturville and Austin Maness of Cordova and her precious great-grandchildren, Konnor Gately of North Carolina, Cloe Briggs of Arkansas, Jackson Miller of Arlington and Melody and David Maness of Columbia.
She was preceded in death by her husband Denny Maness, parents, Forrest and Willie Mae Cox, sisters Faye Cox and Laphane Robinson, son-in-law Ray Mattingly and in-laws Sarah Maness, Billy Maness, Elsie Smith, Amo Smith, Bill Pipkin and Melvin Robinson.
Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Friday, December 22nd at Shackelford Funeral Directors – Crook Avenue Chapel, with Bro. Clint Burkhead officiating. Burial will follow at Chester County Memory Gardens.
The family will receive friends at Crook Avenue 4:30 PM until 7:30 PM on Thursday.
Donations may be sent to New Home Baptist Church at 200 Silerton Road, Henderson, TN 38340 or The Jordan Thomas Foundation at jordanthomasfoundation.org
Shackelford Funeral Directors – Casey Chapel
Henderson, TN 731-989-2421
