Mansfield Bodely Jr. was born to the union of Mansfield Sr. and Eva Bodely in New Orleans, LA on September 19, 1929. He served his country as a US Marine from 1951 through 1953 with an honorable discharge. He was a devoted husband and father and family meant the world to him. He loved family gatherings where he would tell stories of his youth, his experiences, and where he would always make people laugh. His smile was very contagious as well and one couldn't help but smile when they were in his presence. His younger days consisted of working and always keeping busy. He loved to tell stories about how he started working at the age of 9 and how he held many jobs, a butcher for example, and how he eventually became a U.S. Postal worker. As the years passed, he got his time to slow down and rest and live a stress free life. He was a simple man who had everything that mattered to him, his family. He spent his last months surrounded by family enjoying the day-to-day moments and creating more memories. Mansfield was a fighter who fought until the very end – and most of us like to think that he chose the day of his passing – that is just the kind of man he was, determined.
On Monday July 29, 2013 an angel of the lord came to take Mansfield out of this world of pain and suffering. He leaves to cherish his precious memories his devoted wife of 18 years, Alba Soto-Bodely, his children and their spouses: Gale & Henry Harris, Carolyn & Gus Harris, Clarence Mansfield, Cynthia Georgette Douglas, Denfield Wade, Debra Alfred, Darrell Bodely, Elmer & Leslie Soto, Alba & Douglas Murillo, Tanya & Hao Voqui. His siblings: George & Shirley Bodley, Edna Glasper, Tyrone & Sheila Julian. At the time of his passing, there were 29 grandchildren, and numerous amounts of great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.
Preceding Mansfield in death are his parents, Mansfield Sr. and Eva Bodely, his oldest sister, Ethel Webb; brothers-in-laws, James Webb Sr. and Pete Glasper. And from his first marriage, Lillie Bodely and their son Mansfield Bodely lll.