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The Mannings are an influential family in the world of football. Archie enjoyed a 13 year long career in the NFL as a quarterback mostly for New Orleans. His sons in Peyton and Eli also made their marks by putting together solid careers, as they recently retired in 2016 and 2020, respectively. Archie’s grandson, Arch, is expected to be the next big thing in football. But for this piece, let’s talk about Archie Manning's wife Olivia Manning.
Archie Manning’s Wife Olivia Manning
Archie and Olivia attended college in Ole Miss. They both originally met when Archie hitched a ride with Olivia and her friends. A few months later, the couple danced together at a Sigma nu/ Delta Gamma occasion which led Archie to ask her out on a date.
Olivia was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi. She comes from the family who started the iconic Williams Brothers general store in Philadelphia. It’s a store that’s currently being run by her brother, Sid.
Olivia went to University of Mississippi and earned a degree in elementary education. As a college student, she was also a cheerleader. It was here that Olivia married her fiance, Archie, during their senior year of college. The couple held their wedding vows at the National Guard armory. Shortly after, they celebrated their honeymoon in Acapulco just before Archie was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1971 NFL Draft. It’s worth noting that Olivia was also declared as the homecoming queen in Ole Miss. But for Olivia, marrying Archie was the most defining moment of her life.
Olivia Manning, mom of Peyton and Eli, cheering on Archie Manning during 1970 Ole Miss-Alabama game: pic.twitter.com/ICucfmlCJJ
— SI Vault (@si_vault) January 17, 2016
Olivia was a very hands-on parent, as she raised three sons well in Cooper, Peyton, and Eli. For Olivia, raising her children right was her biggest achievement in life. As we all know, two of her sons went on to carve out successful football careers that saw them rake in lucrative contracts and super bowl appearances. On the other hand, Cooper became a successful entrepreneur, energy broker, and television personality. In fact Cooper only had nice things to say about his mother.
Copper said about his mother, “Had the uncanny ability to be a mother who provided structure and discipline but who was also a running mate…One minute she’d say, ‘What you did was not appropriate’, and in the next breath it would be ‘Please put some ice in my margarita,’ but you never misinterpreted the balance.”
While she was very committed to her kids, Olivia also spent her time with various organizations for charity. She served as one of the chairpersons for Longue Vue House & Gardens fundraiser called Sentimental Journeys. Moreover, she also oversaw the Whitney Zoo-to-do by Audubon Zoo. Aside from these, Olivia was also a fixture for the Junior League, the Red Cross and the American Heart Association. She, alongside her husband Archie, also launched the Manning Family Fund with the intention of giving back to the Missisipi community.
Olivia has been an avid supporter for the American Heart Association, especially with its Go Red for Women campaign. One of her reasons for this is how heart disease lingered close to her family. Olivia’s grandfather died of the dreaded illness in his 50’s. On the other hand, her mother suffered a heart attack due to high cholesterol before passing away at 86 years old.
Olivia’s active participation in these organizations were certainly felt by the Mississippi community. In 2011, Olivia was awarded with the Legacy Award by the Ole Miss Women’s Council of Philanthropy.
Now turned from a parent into a grandparent, Olivia enjoys the growth of her family. In fact, it’s her favorite activity to do these days to spend time with her grandchildren aside from going antique shopping.
In an interview with MyNewOrleans.com, Olivia claimed, “Right now it’s just about enjoying my family. I have three grandchildren in town and four out of town. We love exploring New Orleans when they visit or going to visit them.”
As of this writing, Olivia currently has nine grandchildren. She has three grandchildren from her eldest, two from Peyton, and four from her youngest. While spending time with them, Olivia maintains her busy lifestyle as an active participant in charitable organizations. Because of this, her grandchildren reportedly call her GoGo.
Olivia has certainly done her duty as a loving wife and mother to her football-loving family. Moreover, her generosity and kindness have influenced her kids to also play a role in giving back to the community. While it's her husband and kids that showcased their wares on the field, it was Olivia who was an important figure for them behind the public eye. For now, that's all the information we have on Archie Manning's wife Olivia Manning.
