James Henry Manion of Birch Point, Lake Vermilion, passed away suddenly on September 12, 2012 with his wife Maggie at his side. Jim grew up in Pipestone, in southwest Minnesota, the son of James Manion, a local attorney and county judge, and Mary (Gunderson) Manion, a homemaker. He attended the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul and decided upon a career in dentistry, graduating from the University of Minnesota, School of Dentistry in 1963. His fellow students were impressed by his remarkable ability to retain facts from his textbooks. He practiced dentistry a short time in Fairfax, in southwest MN, where he met Madeline Windschitl, a schoolteacher from nearby Comfrey. Their relationship was enduring, because they were married in 1965 and celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary in July. A job possibility in Ely led him north to the Iron Range, where he and Maggie made their home among the pines and the lakes. Maggie and Jim have two children, Maria Ann Manion and Michael Carl Manion, an architect and an engineer respectively. Jim was very proud of his children. Jim eventually joined Dental Associates in Virginia in 1971 where he practiced dentistry until his retirement in 2003. He was known as a kind and compassionate dentist, sympathetic to the sometimes difficult financial circumstances of his patients. To help put child patients at ease, he would often entertain them with farm animal noises. Jim was a voracious reader, and he was especially informed on current political and economic affairs, much to the woe of the uninformed that casually waded into a debate with him. He and Maggie shared an interest in cooking and gardening, which they passed on to their children. Jim was always experimenting with various preparations of his favorite food, garlic. His pickled garlic graces kitchens throughout the Midwest. He was proud of his Irish and Norwegian heritages and his network of friends includes an extended family from Ireland. Jim enjoyed socializing with his many friends, particularly his hunting buddy Sody, who appreciated his intelligence, wit and kindness. They will sorely miss him. In his later years, Jim fought a courageous battle with cancer. His family and friends thank his physicians, Dr. Harold Windschitl, formerly of Centracare in St. Cloud and Dr. Nikcevich of Essentia Health in Duluth.
Jim is survived by his loving wife, Maggie; his daughter Maria and her husband Scott of Minneapolis, MN; his son Michael of Crystal, MN; his in-laws Cletus and Valerie Windschitl of Carroll, Iowa; Dr. Harold and Shirley Windschitl of St. Cloud, Paul and Gayle Windschitl of St. Paul; extended family Ciaran and Mary Mannion and their children Evan, Lily, Cormac and Rhys of Athlone, Ireland; and his brother Michael Joseph Manion of Brainerd, MN.
Jim was preceded in death by his son-in-law, Edward Ronald Gratz.
A Gathering time for family and friends will be held Monday, September 17, 2012 from 10 a.m. until the 11 am Memorial Mass in St. Martin's Catholic Church in Tower. Reverend Father John O'Donnell will be the celebrant.
Memorials are preferred and may be directed to CentraCare Healthcare Foundation (www.foundation@centracare.com) or Essentia Health St. Mary's Medical Center Foundation (www.essentiahealth.org/EssentiaHealthDuluth)
Family services provided by Bauman's Vermilion Funeral Home in Tower. To share personal remembrances online, please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com.


Born: December 15, 1937 Place of Birth: Pipestone, MN Death: September 12, 2012 Place of Death: Virginia, MN Occupation: Dentist Hobbies: Reading, Cooking and Gardening Gathering Time for Family & Friends Monday September 17, 2012 , 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at St. Martin's Catholic Church
Memorial Mass Monday September 17, 2012 , 11:00 a.m. at St. Martin's Catholic Church
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