Patrick McManus Died Apr 11

15 April 2018, 23:00

Outdoor Writer

And another old OWAA acquaintance sadly goes "ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

McManus -- a one of kind -- was as funny in person as was his writing. Right behind me on a bookshelf sits an autographed copy of “They Shoot Canoes, Don’t They?” He gave it to me at an Outdoor Life function at a SHOT show in the 1980s.

Pat wasn't too much older than I am, if I recall. That fact reminds me that my time to meet the maker probably isn't too far off.

15 April 2018, 23:59

Brian Canada

I'm sorry to hear that.

16 April 2018, 04:12

Fjold

I read all of his books and remember his magazine articles fondly. RIP.

16 April 2018, 06:59

georgeld

I enjoyed reading his stories.
Just got a new OL Sat. Haven't looked at it yet.
Might be too early a printing to mention it.

Thanks for letting us know.

Tony: How would you like to be a young 'un just starting out facing the world now? Me, I'm glad my times getting short, 74 isn't too old, half my family lived til 90's or 95 a couple of 'em. I don't want to be around another 20 years.

George

16 April 2018, 07:55

Saeed

Very sad to hear this.

Have enjoyed, and still enjoy, his writings.

16 April 2018, 19:51

AnotherAZWriter

quote:
Originally posted by georgeld:
I enjoyed reading his stories.
Just got a new OL Sat. Haven't looked at it yet.
Might be too early a printing to mention it.

Thanks for letting us know.

Tony: How would you like to be a young 'un just starting out facing the world now? Me, I'm glad my times getting short, 74 isn't too old, half my family lived til 90's or 95 a couple of 'em. I don't want to be around another 20 years.

George

George:

In a sign of the times, that issue of OL states they are now going to a quarterly publication. They said, "You will notice the magazine is thicker (or words to the effect)."

No, I didn't notice. Still much thinner than than in years past.

16 April 2018, 22:06

Outdoor Writer

quote:
Originally posted by georgeld:
Tony: How would you like to be a young 'un just starting out facing the world now? Me, I'm glad my times getting short, 74 isn't too old, half my family lived til 90's or 95 a couple of 'em. I don't want to be around another 20 years.

I'm now 76. Both my mom and her dad lived into their 90s and never had any major ailments. They both died in their sleep. In contrast, I was a 50+ yrs. smoker and now suffer from COPD that keeps me on O2 24/7. That also causes endema in my feet and ankles because my heart works too hard on my breathing and can't keep up with pumping fluids back up from my lower legs.

At the end of 2017, I spent 24 days in the hospital on three different occasions. The first was three days in ICU with severe pneumonia. Second was 11 days for successful colon cancer surgery, and the third a week later was another 10 days for complications from the surgery that affected the area around my pancreas.

I'm just now getting back up to strenght from all those days in bed. It took a high-protein diet, using dumbbells for my arms and riding a stationary bike for my legs.

Last Weds. was the first time I left the house since coming home from the hospital just before Christmas. My trip was to the golf course where I successfully completed 18 holes without keeling over. And it felt good to be back among the living.

I realize that's more than you might have wanted to know, but it's my way of saying that there's no way in hell I'll be around for another 20 years.

16 April 2018, 23:42

Thomas "Ty" Beaham

I got out on the links last Wednesday too Tony.
I broke 73!
That's a lot of clubs.

17 April 2018, 01:52

Outdoor Writer

quote:
Originally posted by Thomas "Ty" Beaham:
I got out on the links last Wednesday too Tony.
I broke 73!
That's a lot of clubs.

I didn't break any but threw two in the lake.

17 April 2018, 06:43

lechwe

Patrick's stories are the reason I like to read so much now. After his first story I couldn't put the books down.

17 April 2018, 08:12

Use Enough Gun

Loved reading Pat's books and stories. He had a fertile mind and a unique way in telling his tall tales to make us laugh!

17 April 2018, 22:49

JTEX

I always read his stories first of all. That man could tell the funniest stories.

.

18 April 2018, 00:31

Hutty

Having grown up in a non outdoors family I remember ordering one of his books via the outdoor life book club. Reading that book and subsequent books brought me countless hours of laughs and helped fuel my desire for the outdoors.

I fine writer, a gentlemen and family man.

18 April 2018, 17:57

TCLouis

I can only get the books down off of the shelf and reread them one by one as a tribute to his passing.

My wife is likely already bracing for the laughter emanating from the room when I get to, "The Night The Bear Ate GoomBah" or as I envision a deer pedaling a bicycle.

18 April 2018, 20:43

BuffHunter63

Sorry to hear that, he certainly was a gifted and humorous writer.

RIP

BH63

18 April 2018, 21:17

Fourtyonesix

All good things come to an end. I loved his books, as a kid I read them all. Perhaps where I got some of my light hearted mentality for the outdoors, the world has some funny adventures in it, pat sure knew how to put them on paper. He leaves a great legacy in his writings.

18 April 2018, 22:35

470Evans

I am sorry to hear that, I read all his books as a kid and thoroughly enjoyed them.

18 April 2018, 22:49

bwana cecil

I was reading "the night the bear ate goombaw" in bed 1 night while my wife was asleep on the other side.
I started laughing and woke up the she bear & was acusude of going nutts.
I then got her to read it & she started laughing too & forgave me for waking her.
Mr. McManus was tops in my book.

19 April 2018, 17:19

Big Wonderful Wyoming

quote:
Originally posted by Outdoor Writer:
quote:
Originally posted by georgeld:
Tony: How would you like to be a young 'un just starting out facing the world now? Me, I'm glad my times getting short, 74 isn't too old, half my family lived til 90's or 95 a couple of 'em. I don't want to be around another 20 years.

I'm now 76. Both my mom and her dad lived into their 90s and never had any major ailments. They both died in their sleep. In contrast, I was a 50+ yrs. smoker and now suffer from COPD that keeps me on O2 24/7. That also causes endema in my feet and ankles because my heart works too hard on my breathing and can't keep up with pumping fluids back up from my lower legs.

At the end of 2017, I spent 24 days in the hospital on three different occasions. The first was three days in ICU with severe pneumonia. Second was 11 days for successful colon cancer surgery, and the third a week later was another 10 days for complications from the surgery that affected the area around my pancreas.

I'm just now getting back up to strenght from all those days in bed. It took a high-protein diet, using dumbbells for my arms and riding a stationary bike for my legs.

Last Weds. was the first time I left the house since coming home from the hospital just before Christmas. My trip was to the golf course where I successfully completed 18 holes without keeling over. And it felt good to be back among the living.

I realize that's more than you might have wanted to know, but it's my way of saying that there's no way in hell I'll be around for another 20 years.

Glad your here Tony.

My father is in the same spot, some how he got lucky genetically and I got the Hemochromitosis that killed my Grandfather at 52. But he fucked it up by smoking his whole life until about 10 years ago. He was one of the original Marlboro Men with Darryl Winfield.

Genetic diseases can often be beaten with modern medicine, so I am hopeful to not be another 50 year old in Boot Hill.

COPD on the other hand is kind of a bastard, it is a very common thing here in Germany. This is the land of chainsmokers.

21 April 2018, 21:39

Outdoor Writer

quote:
Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

Glad your here Tony.

My father is in the same spot, some how he got lucky genetically and I got the Hemochromitosis that killed my Grandfather at 52. But he fucked it up by smoking his whole life until about 10 years ago. He was one of the original Marlboro Men with Darryl Winfield.

Genetic diseases can often be beaten with modern medicine, so I am hopeful to not be another 50 year old in Boot Hill.

COPD on the other hand is kind of a bastard, it is a very common thing here in Germany. This is the land of chainsmokers.

Yeah, I'm here. It's just a matter of how long.

Like my dad before me, I consumed my nicotine through Camel non-filters for the first 50 years and then switched to cheaper generic lite filters when the Camels got too expensive. I quit a few years ago, tho, and maybe added six months to my life.

Anyway you look at it, however, it's a bitch to get old and somewhat useless. I formally retired a few months back from my regular writing gigs and my hunting/fishing days are about done, as well.