Stephen Ralph Manning
Nov. 9, 1955 — March 2, 2024
Stephen Ralph Manning was born on Nov. 9, 1955, in Kemmerer, Wyo. to Ralph Lamont Manning and Jacqueline June Bennett Manning, the oldest of three sons. His brothers were Benjamin Joe Manning, born in 1957, and Keith Alan Manning, born in 1961.
The family lived in Big Piney where he started school. In 1966, the family moved to Tucson, Arizona. He continued school while also working at riding stables and guest ranches. He also liked to rodeo, which is how he met his best and longest friend, Hal Vinson.
Stephen moved back to Wyoming in 1972, and lived with his grandmother Inez Bennett. He attended Big Piney High School while also working on ranches and rodeoing with his other best friend, Mike Miller. Steve had a lot of friends. He hooked back up with Hal and they worked together on guest ranches in the Jackson Hole area.
Stephen eventually moved back to Big Piney to work in the oil field, where he met and married Terrie Barger. He and Terrie had a daughter in 1978, Stephanie or “Stevie.” They were later divorced.
Some years later, he married Julienne Harrower. They moved to a ranch in Opal, Wyo., on the Hams Fork River and ranched there for six years until that marriage ended.
He then moved to California where he worked in the movie business. He worked on various western shows and movies. He had a long stint on the show “Hearts of the West” and worked on the epic motion picture “Lonesome Dove” with his brother Ben. After working in California, he moved back to Wyoming where he met the love of his life, Rebecca Welte and they were married on June 21, 2001. He was married to Becky for 22 years, helping to raise her children and grandchildren and sharing their lives together. He remained married to Becky until the day he died on March 2 in Pinedale after a long battle with cancer.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Jacqueline Manning and step-daughter Crystal Espinoza.
He is survived by his wife Becky Manning of Pinedale, daughter Stevie (John Wesley) Phillips of Moorcroft, Wyo., step-children Josh Cooper (Danielle) of Pinedale, Ashley Griggs (Kirk) of Pinedale, John Cooper of Rio Del, Calif., brothers Benjamin Manning (Sharon) of Burbank, Calif., Keith Manning (Talli) of Pinedale, grandchildren Jackson Phillips and Kellie Phillips, step-grandchildren JD Cooper, LJ Cooper, Dublin Cooper, Caleb Griggs, Hannah Griggs and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service for Steve will be held on Friday, March 15, at 11 a.m., at Covill Funeral Home with a luncheon to follow at the VFW.
