Tuffy McManus

[Grandma's brother, Pat, sent her many letters over the years which I will excerpt here.  He also contributed to the family history that Grandma wrote.  Here he shares his remembrances of their brother, Bernard, who died in his late 30s of complications from diabetes].


Bernard "Tuffy" McManus
"Protective, kind, considerate, compassionate, a "sucker" for someone with a "sob story" - (I will always think that his nickname was a misnomer - he was strong, straightforward, I suppose you could say Tough in a sort of a lovable way.)

I should be ashamed of myself! I certainly took advantage of my big brother (while growing up). I remember how I used to stick him with most of my chores around the house and in the vegetable garden. He would always cover up for me. I remember how he used to protect me from all the young "Bullies" in Roscoe.  None of them dared touch me because of Tuffy - and I made sure they never forgot it!!!

When they had the Football banquet in my Sr. year of High School (I had gone out for the football team (all 115lbs of me) and stuck out the whole year altho I only got to play about 2 - 3 minutes when the game was decided (over). "Sonny" Mills the coach told me he was sorry I didn't get to play more but "Tuffy" made him promise he wouldn't put me in the game until he told him it was safe for me to go in - and since Tuffy played til the game was decided I sat on the bench.

Tuffy was picked on the first All-Mon Valley Team as a guard.
He was also picked by coaches as All WPIAL guard.
He was picked on Dartmouth College all opponent team as a Freshman at Allegheny College.
He was picked on the New York Daily Mirrors all Eastern Team as a Freshman (The sportswriter saw him play against Dartmouth and picked him on the basis of that performance).

His Charlie Chaplin imitation was a true delight for all the kids in Roscoe.

Patty and Maureen have fond memories of him and his red headed girl friend but their most vivid memory of Roscoe is of grand pap taking "grand ma's" change out of the table drawer in the kitchen and taking them over to Farquahr's store and buying them candy.

Everything in California is fine - and hardly a day passes that I don't hear some comment about your visit and about "Heidi" - she really made an impression.

Pat(sy)