Winifred Elizabeth (Manning) Allbeck

Winifred Elizabeth Manning Allbeck, 94, Millville, died peacefully on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at the Millville Health Center. She had been in failing health for the past several years. Born January 16, 1918 in Philadelphia during the flu epidemic, she was the daughter of the late Harry Weldon Manning and Mazie Hileman Manning, Eyers Grove. She graduated from eighth grade at the Demott one-room-school, Eyers Grove Road; from tenth grade at Madison Township School, Jerseytown; and from twelfth grade at the Millville High School. She married Frank Myron Allbeck, on February 23, 1938. They purchased the Manning Homestead, Millville, from her father and farmed together for 44 years until Frank's death May 22, 1982. She had many interests, including doing handicraft occupational therapy with patients at Boones Nursing Home in Eyers Grove, photography, and baking wedding cakes. Winifred also had many hobbies and collections: she especially enjoyed dolls and teddy bears. She was very creative, making toy farm implements from tin, and even recreating the Eyers Grove General Store with miniatures. She was a member of the Eyers Grove Methodist Church for 76 years and was the church historian. She and Frank received many awards for their leadership in agriculture. For 22 years, she was a member of the Columbia County Agricultural Extension Committee. She served for 18 years as the leader of the Jerseytown Girls' 4-H Club, and, in conjunction with other leaders, wrote the Modern Pioneering 4-H project book for the Pennsylvania State University. During that time, she was also co-leader, with Frank, of the Jerseytown Boys' 4-H Club and the Columbia County 4-H Baby Beef Club. In the 1960s, she and Frank hosted 4-H International Farm Youth Exchangees from Turkey, Ceyon, India, Tunisia, and the Netherlands, helping them learn about American culture and farming methods. Because of her extensive farm and volunteer experience, she was selected by People to People, an organization created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower that sends professionals to foreign countries to share their knowledge. In September 1985, she traveled to Russia and China to help represent United States agriculture and promote friendship and peace. After that, she enjoyed traveling to 25 other countries to experience their cultures. She very much liked learning about and collecting photos and stories of local history. She helped plan and form the Madison Township Community Center at the old Madison Township School in Jerseytown. She was also an historian and genealogist, becoming a member of the Daughters of American Colonists, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Columbia County Historical Society, and the Central Susquehanna Valley Genealogical Society. She also authored a book, The Allbeck Genealogy. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers Weldon and Edgar Manning, and a sister Dorothy Manning Spotts, who wrote The History of Eyers Grove. Surviving are two sons: Larry (Sally) Allbeck and Lynn (Barbara) Allbeck, both of Millville; a daughter, Ellen Maurer (Kenneth Pippert), Verona, Wisconsin; ten grandchildren: Andrew, Scott (Rachel), Chuck, Dan (Jamie), Edward, and Kevin (Nicole) Allbeck of Millville; Marie (Jai) Robbins, Bloomsburg; Jan Allbeck, Springfield, Virginia; Minda Maurer (Steve Dingle), McFarland, Wisconsin; and Brant (Lori) Maurer, Muskego, Wisconsin; eight great grandchildren: Haeden, Kelsey, Grant, and Isaac Allbeck; Marlee and Simon Dingle; and Elsa and Owen Maurer; and numerous nieces and nephews, including Allan Spotts, South Williamsport. Funeral services will be Monday, June 18 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eyers Grove Methodist Church; interment will be at the Millville Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday, June 15 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Bunnell Funeral Home, Inc. 179 E. Main St. Millville and Monday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at the Eyers Grove Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Eyers Grove Methodist Church, in care of Mark Bardo 1911 Millville Rd., Bloomsburg, Pa. 17815. Friends unable to attend may send condolences at bunnellfuneralhome.com.

Visitation Details

Sunday, June 17th, 2012 6:00pm - 8:00pm, Bunnell Funeral Home, Inc.

Monday, June 18th, 2012 10:00am - 11:00am, Eyers Grove Methodist Church

Service Information

Monday, June 18th, 2012 11:00am, Eyers Grove Methodist Church

Interment Details

Millville Cemetery

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