Funeral arrangements for Mississippi Delta Community College Police Chief Henry L. Manuel have been set for 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 24 at the J.T. Hall Coliseum on the Moorhead Campus.
According to MDCC’s Facebook page, the much-endeared law enforcement officer unexpectedly passed away at his home Sunday morning, less than a week away from his 55th birthday.
The post stated. “Moorhead has truly lost one of their finest.”
“There is no way I could ever express with words how much Chief Manuel meant to the many students, cadets, faculty and staff during his 22 years of protecting and serving our campus family,” Reed Abraham, vice-president of college advancement and public relations said.
Abraham said Manuel was more than a colleague. He was also a friend.
Abraham said he cherished that friendship that was in its ninth year and had grown to a new level over the last several months as they worked together daily in light of a recent on-campus incident.
Board President Paula Sykes called Manuel a peacekeeper.
“Just his presence could keep peace, no matter what went on, he could be just standing around and peace would come.”
College President Larry Nabors echoed her sentiment, adding, “he could always bring calm to a situation and not by physically threatening people, but just by being there. He had a calming influence. He knew how to handle people and calm them down and just always did a great job of that… deescalating a situation.”
Abraham said Manuel practiced what he taught in the police academy and he modeled health, wellness and overall physical fitness.
“Most folks half his age couldn’t compete—myself included,” he said.
Abraham praised Manuel as a man who maintained his honor, faith and integrity as a law enforcement officer and as a man of God through all manner of conditions.
“He was a positive influence to anyone that had an opportunity to know him and the example he set was one that I could only aspire to,” Abraham said. “I’m thankful to have known him and for the positive influence he had on my life.”
Visitation for Manuel will be on Friday, Feb. 23 from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., with a family hour from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Byas Funeral Home, Indianola.
Manuel’s full obituary, with complete arrangements can be found on page 3.
Manuel’s friends and colleagues all attest that he will be greatly missed.
