Ben R. Manker of San Bernardino, a native of Illinois, and resident of San Bernardino since 1950, died Friday night aboard a Santa Fe Railway train enroute from Chillicote, Ohio to San Bernardino at the age of 67. He came to California in 1919 and became a salesman for Smart & Final Co. in 1922. He was manager of the Santa Ana store from 1927 to 1950 he became the first vice president of the firm in 1950, and the same year was transferred to San Bernardino to manage the branch here. He retained the post until his retirement in 1958 after 36 years with the company. Mr. Manker over the years was president of the San Bernardino Lions, a director of the Chamber of Commerce, president of the San Bernardino-Riverside Counties Sales Executives Club, and was active in the Red Cross, the Orange Show, the Community Chest, and its successor, the Arrowhead United Fund.He was also a member of the boards of directors of Goodwill, the YMCA and the Arrowhead Country Club.
Survivors include the widow, Berenice, at the family home on Valencia Avenue; two daughters, Miss Virginia Manker, a Glendale school teacher; and Mrs. Mary Ann Perry of Logan, Utah; a sister, Mrs. Fred Harker of Monterey Park; and two grandchildren. Services for Mr. Manker will be on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Grove Colonial Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Dr. Richard M. Mussem of the First United Presbyterian Church officiating. Private burial will be in Montecito Memorial Park with those who wish to make a memorial contribution, send them to the American Red Cross.
information from an article published in the SAN BERNARDINO SUN on December 12, 1965

from ANCESTRY.COM, Benjamin Robert Manker was born in Princeville, Illinois on March 13, 1898 to Benjamin Oscar Manker and Mary Susan "Minnie" Harrison(as her first husband), both of Illinois, one of their two children. He married Berenice "Bernice" L. Taylor of Illinois and they had at least one child. He died in San Bernardino, California on December 11, 1965.