Donald (Don) Gordon Manning

It is sad news that Donald Gordon Manning of Halifax passed away on the morning of Sunday, January 22, 2023. He had a long battle with Parkinson's Disease, and the complications from that. Donald (Don) was born in Sydney, on May 12, 1947 and grew up in Whitney Pier. He was a son of the late Benjamin Manning and Minnie Abbott Manning. Don was one of eight siblings: sister, Linda MacKinnon (Sydney, NS); brother, David (Halifax, NS); two half-brothers, Stephen (Sydney, NS), and Brian (Saskatoon, SK). He was predeceased by brothers Fred, William and Chesley. Also, three step siblings, Edith La Rusic, Frank Musgrave and Kevin Musgrave. Don had many nieces and nephews as well. Don moved to Halifax in the late 1960's to attend The Nova Scotia College Of Art And Design, where he spent five years studying graphic design. Don successfully graduated from NSCAD in 1973, going on to work first for Claridge House, and then Corporate Communications. In the early 1980's he started his own design company, Don Manning Design. This business flourished, leaving the legacy of many familiar logos seen around Halifax: Perks Coffee Shops, Topsail Entertainment, and many more. In the 1990s, many small graphic design businesses folded soon after the introduction of computer equipment in the design industry. Rather than compete, Don turned to painting. Soon, he was having shows and selling his work wherever the opportunity presented. For three summers he sold his work on the fence at the Public Gardens on Spring Garden Road; after 2003, on the Halifax waterfront. In 2008 he moved indoors to the Halifax Farmers Market; he made a pretty good living with that until his 2014 retirement. Friends have estimated that Don's total output of original artworks and prints number in the thousands and are scattered all around the world. After his retirement Don visited the Market every Saturday, seeing Market and college friends alike. Don was a self-taught guitarist who could not only play pop songs and the Beatles but he could also pick bluegrass and Mississippi John Hurt on his well-worn and treasured Guild Guitar. His love of ice cream was legendary, as were his very bad jokes. Don also had a great love of movies, especially westerns and he was a dedicated long suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fan. He was an extremely kind person who will be missed by all who knew him. Celebrations of Don’s life will take place in Sydney and Halifax in early summer. Memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.harboursidecremation.ca

Donald (Don) Gordon Manning

May 12, 1947 - January 22, 2023