Howard Manley Chase

Howard Manley Chase was born on October 27, 1929, at Beecher Island, Colorado. At age six, his father passed away, leaving his mother to handle the ranch and finances. Manley was the youngest, with two older sisters, and lived on the ranch through his high school days.

With Manley being the only son, and without a father, he had to take responsibility early in his life and ranched with his uncle. He learned how to repair and fix things and could tackle most any repair job. During this time the family attended a Sunday school/church in the community. During some special evangelistic meetings, the congregation was challenged to receive Jesus Christ as personal Saviour, and Manley made a commitment to Christ one of those evenings. He has often said, “The grass looked greener” after that decision. He had a big “turn-around” and began to seriously think of serving the Lord.

Still working on the ranch with his uncle, he felt the need to attend Bible school and was given the green light by both his mother and uncle.

Manley graduated from Rocky Mountain Bible Institute and Rockmont College, both a part of Colorado Christian University today. While at Bible school, he met his wife, Doris, and they were married after he graduated from Bible school.

Both Manley and Doris felt the Lord guiding their life to missionary service in Japan with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM), and they sailed for Japan in August 1957 on the only Japanese passenger ship remaining after the war.

After two years of concentrated Japanese language study, they moved to Nagano (the prefecture where the Olympics were once held). By this time their son, Wayne, was born, and Rod was born while living in Nagano. Working with two other missionary couples, the Nagano Bible Church was started, and the men took turns ministering in it. From his childhood, Manley had always been good at repairs, and this became a big part of his mission work as well. The family moved to another church planting ministry, helping build a church and seeing a Japanese pastor established in that work. From that station, they moved to the Tokyo area.

Manley was asked to become the business manager for the Christian Academy in Japan, a school for missionary children. He supervised the renovation of that campus using a Japanese construction company. He delighted in working with missionary families and their children. One of his highlights was the construction of a beautiful, round auditorium in the center of the campus, used for music, drama, and large events. It was a special privilege to work with the designer of this building, who was an assistant of Frank Lloyd Wright.

The last five years of his work in Japan, he became the business manager for the TEAM Japan Field. Again, being able to work with his hands was his special gift as he visited most all of the mission stations, seeing about repairs and designing new missionary housing.

In 1979 the family returned to the US, and Manley and Doris moved to Wheaton, Illinois, where he worked in rental stores and later managed one of them. His skill with use of equipment was an important part of this operation.

After retirement, Manley and Doris moved to Covenant Village of Colorado (CVC), six months after the campus opened. It wasn't long before he started part time work as a driver for CVC. This was a very enjoyable job, getting to know residents and taking them to places they needed to go. After retirement from this work, he remained at home greatly enjoying his sons, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Manley was blessed to attend and serve as a member of the Emmanuel American Reformed Church. He was grateful for Bible messages and teaching taught from the Word of God, and for the tremendous outpouring of love and care from the congregation.

Manley was known for his ease with people and sense of humor. He can well be remembered whistling while he worked on many of his repair jobs - a great joy for the family to hear. Serving the Lord was his greatest desire, and he looked forward to his eternal HOME with the Lord.

He is survived by his wife, Doris, and two sons:

Wayne and Antina and their six children: Debra & Josh, Stephen & Jessica, Jon & Dani, Nathan & Clarissa, Sarah & Dustin, Marian & Peter, and eight great grandchildren: Alyssa & Jonah; Josiah, Titus & Asher; Abel; and Delaney & Mia.

Rod and Renée and their two children: Oliver and Kathy.

He is also survived by one sister: Carolyn Homm and nieces and nephews.

A Viewing and Visitation is being held at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home, 427 Adams Street, Wray, Colorado on Friday, September 2, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. A Graveside Service and Interment will be held at the Armel Cemetery in Armel, Colorado, Friday, September 2, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Memorials may be made to the Covenant Village of Colorado Benevolent Fund, 9153 Yarrow Street, Westminster, Colorado 80021. Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.