Ethel "Boots" Beatrice Spencer Manley

Ethel Beatrice Spencer Manley (Boots), age 89, wife of the late Gerald T. Manley, Sr., peacefully passed away on September 16, 2024, in Germantown, Tennessee. She was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on December 23, 1934. Boots graduated from Lafayette High School in 1953, and was a realtor in Southern Pines, NC, and with Crye-Leike after the family settled in Memphis.

She treasured her role as a wife, mother and grandmother and was very involved with helping raise the grandchildren. Boots enjoyed cooking, decorating, and loved getting together with her family during the holidays as it gave her the opportunity to show off her prodigious cooking skills.

Boots was a devoted animal lover. Over the years she assumed the responsibility of raising several animals her children brought home. Ducks, snakes, turtles, opossums and even an iguana were occasional family pets. Most of all she loved cats. She adopted many stray cats over the years, with her favorite being Dusty.

She is survived by her loving family, Jerry Manley (Lois) of Versailles, KY; Eric Manley of Georgetown, KY; Michele Clark (Richard) of Germantown, TN; John Manley of Germantown, TN; and Stephen Manley (Kathleen) of Memphis, TN. She also leaves behind 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Spencer and Lois Perez, and her husband, Gerald T. Manley, Sr., with whom she shared 64 years of marriage.

The family would like to thank Trinity Baptist Hospice in Cordova, TN, for the excellent care and compassion they provided to Boots.

Visitation will be held on Monday, September 23, 2024, at Clark Legacy Center in Nicholasville, KY, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. A funeral service will follow immediately after visitation. Interment will follow at the Bluegrass Memorial Gardens.

Donations in her honor may be made to the Memphis/Shelby County Humane Society and St. Jude Children’s Hospital.