My dear friend, William J. Manning AKA Billy Mack, Billy Banks and, as Earl the Pearl called him Gigolo Bill, succumbed to brain cancer at three AM. I knew Billy first in the 70s as a youngster who liked to bet on me. We even took a couple of road trips together. A couple of years ago we re-kindled our friendship and I had the extreme pleasure of having him as a close friend and capable sparring partner. Leave him a bank and you'd think you're up against Eddie Taylor.
We have been going through this with him for the past four or five months, watching him get progressively weaker. A few weeks back he told us his doctor told him to "go where he wants and eat what he wants," which is exactly what he did. He first included the Taylor's on his Bucket List. We took him to Mt. Lemon and some of the places he enjoyed in Tucson then down to Tombstone. I've asked Bill Porter to post some pictures for me. His son, Derrick took him to the Grand Canyon and other places and was at his side when he left us.
In fact, Billy's doctor had really told him he should stay and continue with "more aggressive treatment, immediately." Billy, sick of the sickening treatment, chose to die on his own terms, pretty much the way he lived. None of his many friends and loved ones he left behind could remember Bill Manning say a bad word about anyone.
We will miss him dearly. Alfie Taylor
We have been going through this with him for the past four or five months, watching him get progressively weaker. A few weeks back he told us his doctor told him to "go where he wants and eat what he wants," which is exactly what he did. He first included the Taylor's on his Bucket List. We took him to Mt. Lemon and some of the places he enjoyed in Tucson then down to Tombstone. I've asked Bill Porter to post some pictures for me. His son, Derrick took him to the Grand Canyon and other places and was at his side when he left us.
In fact, Billy's doctor had really told him he should stay and continue with "more aggressive treatment, immediately." Billy, sick of the sickening treatment, chose to die on his own terms, pretty much the way he lived. None of his many friends and loved ones he left behind could remember Bill Manning say a bad word about anyone.
We will miss him dearly. Alfie Taylor
