Joe Manion ('61), Team Captain & Hall of Famer, R.I.P.

Ron Raemore, Joe Manion, Paul Drayton, Frank Budd

Joe Manion, a stalwart of the short relays for Jumbo Elliott in the late 1950s and early 1960s, died yesterday at his home in West Chester, PA. Manion was a team captain while at Villanova and won four Penn Relays championships: as part of three consecutive mile relays in 1959, 1960, and 1961, and another in the 1961 880 yard relay. He is a member of the Villanova athletics Hall of Fame and received the Villanova Alumni Medal for outstanding service to the university's alumni association. Below is his obituary as it appears in today's Philadelphia Inquirer. The Villanova track and field community offers condolences to his family.

JOSEPH J. MANION, age 72, of West Chester, PA, formerly of Media, PA, died peacefully on May 22, 2012 at his home.

Survived by his wife of fifty years, Dolores Westhoff Manion, his eight children: Katie, Beth, Joe, Matt, Amy, John, Tricia and Paul, and their spouses: Mark Jones, Jacinto Oliver, Mary Eileen Rogers, Kerri Dougherty, Tom Swift, Rose Jagielo, Dan Cellucci and Nicole Melchiorre, and 26 grandchildren. Also survived by his sister, Jane Kazunas and his mother-in-law, Regina Westhoff. Born and raised in St. Barnabas parish, Joe graduated from West Catholic Boys High School in 1957 and Villanova University in 1961. He was captain of the track team at West Catholic and Villanova - where he ran for the legendary Jumbo Elliott - and is in the Hall of Fame for both schools.

Viewing on Thursday evening from 6 to 9 P.M. at St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Mass of Christian Burial on Friday 10:30 A.M. at St. Thomas of Villanova Church, 800 E. Lancaster Ave. Villanova, PA. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Parkinsons Council Inc., 111 Presidential Blvd. #250, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004-1023 or the Villanova University Track Program. Arrangements: RIGBY HARTING & HAGAN FUNERAL HOME, 15 E. Fourth Street, Media, PA.