Good-bye to Izzy

Izabella "Izzy" Blaine McManaway

2007 ~ 2012

Isaiah 11:6  

She led many to Christ!

She is the child that made people say, “Keep Smilin’” because of her beautiful spirit and unwavering determination to live life to the fullest.  She touched and inspired thousands, as evidenced by the stacks of mail she received every day for weeks over the 2011 Christmas holiday and the continuous stream of well-wishers and visitors.  Izabella “Izzy” Blaine McManaway, of Fayetteville, WV, would have turned 5 years old on March 12, 2012.  She     passed on to the Kingdom of Heaven on February 22, 2012 after a lengthy battle with rhabdomyosarcoma.

She would not wish you sadness, but rather to celebrate her brief, yet fulfilled life.  Remember her words, just a day after surgery to amputate her left leg: “If I cry and don’t smile, then the devil will be happy.  So I’m gonna smile.”  Izzy would want you to remember her smile and laughter and how beautiful she looked in her cheerleading uniform as she cheered for the Pirates at Fayetteville and the Patriots at Mt. View Christian School.  She would want you to know how it pleased her to paint the toenails on her artificial foot and how she learned to ride her bicycle with her new leg; how she never gave up the enjoyment of life just because of cancer.

Izzy leaves behind a strong and faithful family: her loving parents, Corey & Jenny McManaway and her two beloved older sisters, Zavery and Zoe McManaway;  Great-grandparents, Nancy Barnett of Middlesboro, KY and Hazel Hannigan of Oak Hill, WV. Grandparents, Terry & Connie McManaway of Oak Hill, WV and Dale & Linda Clonch of Fayetteville, WV, as well as many cousins, aunts and uncles who adore her.  Izzy says good-bye to two special friends, Kerrisyn Feazell and Trace Crumb, and the loving church family at Fayetteville Baptist.  She also leaves behind 3 faithful pets, two dogs and a kitten who rarely left her side:  Charlie the Faithful Protector, Trixie the Clown and Smokey the Curious.  Perhaps she will greet another favorite in heaven, her Aunt Amy’s horse, Jack, whom she loved to visit at the farm.  

Izzy would like for you to know of the things she loved most in this life, aside from her parents and sisters.  Things like 4-wheelin’ with her cousin, Ben, jumping on the trampoline with numerous friends, playing with her baby doll, Elizabeth Sally, listening to Justin Bieber’s music, swimming at her grandparent’s pool and having popsicles in the warm sunshine afterwards.   She loved shopping, especially for purses and carried all the essentials in them. You know, like full sized liquid hand soap, lotions with sparkle, hand sanitizer in various scents, lip balms of every color and crayons.  She was always ready to go to Crossroads Mall to get a cookie from the Great American Cookie Co. or to Wal Mart to greet most of Fayetteville. 

Izzy endeared many people to her through her gorgeous smile, her faithfulness to God, and her zest for life.  Although very young, she was a spiritual giant and prayed often and at length for other friends and family right up until the end.  Through her struggle, many souls have come to know Christ, as this was her purpose on earth. (Is 11:6) Her time with us may have ended but her life is not over because Christ has defeated death and love is eternal.  She completed her earthly purpose in just under five short years.  May we all take heed of St. Matthew 18:3 that implores us to become like little children in our faith and relationship with Christ so that we shall see the Kingdom of God, for that is where this beautiful child now resides.

Special services to celebrate her life will be held at Grace Baptist Church in Fayetteville, WV beginning at 11:00 am, ceremony begins at 1:00 pm. on Monday, February 27, 2012.  Private graveside services will be held at a later time.  To help celebrate her beautiful life, think about wearing her favorite colors, pink and purple, to the service.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to Timmy’s Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps families with children at WVU Children's Hospital.  Timmy's Fund has been very instrumental in supporting the McManaway Family not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually as well;  thank you Joe & Tara Quigley:  www.timmysfund.org 

Dodd-Payne-Hess Funeral Home is handling all arrangements and online condolences may be left here or at www.doddpaynehessfuneralhome.com 

A special thank you to Dr. Paul and the wonderful team of physicians and nurses at WVU Children’s Hospital who demonstrated skill and professionalism and even more importantly, generosity, patience, understanding and genuine love.  This team of healthcare providers went above and beyond the call and they are most appreciated.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Izzy and expressed your concern in numerous ways; by your prayers God continues to sustain Izzy’s family with grace and peace that passes all understanding.