Gina Jacqueline Maness

Former Hamburg resident and longtime healthcare executive Gina Maness passed away after a brief illness on October 8 at her home in Simpsonville, S.C.  She was 72.

Born Gina J. Murphy, daughter of the late Rosemarie (Pinelli) and the late James Murphy, stepdaughter of the late Mathew F. Roman Sr., Gina grew up in Buffalo and raised her three children, Alan W. (Jill) Wilkie Jr. of Elma, Aaron R. (Christina Creamer) Wilkie of Belleair, Fla., and Daniel F. (Amanda) Wilkie of Pelzer, S.C., in Hamburg where she was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.  She served as a Eucharistic Minister at the Athol Springs church. 

In 2015, she married South Carolinian Dalford W. Maness Jr. whose loving care of her was remarkable.

Gina graduated from Trocaire College, Buffalo, as a registered nurse, and D’Youville College, Buffalo, with a bachelor of science degree in nursing.  She continued her studies at the State University of New York at Buffalo where she earned a master’s degree in nursing administration.

Before moving to South Carolina, her professional career included working for Erie County Public Health and the Visiting Nursing Association of Western New York where she was director of services.  At that time, the VNA provided nursing and rehabilitation services for five counties in Western New York and Gina oversaw hundreds of nurses and therapists.  She was proud of the work and the teams they built at the first visiting nursing organization in America. 

In 1991, Gina was named executive vice president for North American Administrators. Her responsibilities included directing all third-party administrative (TPA) operations and medical management programs. Her accomplishments included securing capital funding for the development of North American’s HMO and fully-insured PPO, and developing the company’s outsourcing program. 

After relocating to South Carolina in 2004, Gina was named vice president of CWI Benefits managing all TPA operations, client services and utilization review.  She retired in 2016. Her retirement was brief as her business acumen and healthcare knowledge proved to be just what was needed at East Coast Underwriters, where her son Aaron serves as president.  Gina was charged with claims management and cost containment for the company.                                

As a recognized expert in her field, Gina gave frequent talks on various healthcare issues related to TPA operations, claims and cost containment. 

She was a member of several boards, local and national, professional and community, including the American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo Chapter, when she lived in the area. 

An avid Buffalo Bills and Sabres fan, Gina never wavered in her support of Buffalo and made frequent visits back to her hometown to see family and friends.  She enjoyed golfing, traveling, and visiting Major League Baseball parks with her husband, but most of all she enjoyed her family.  She was always a favored babysitter for her grandchildren and loved to plan family vacations with her sons and their families.  In addition to her husband and sons, she is survived by a large and loving extended family including her stepson Thane (Jamie) Maness of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; former daughter-in-law Maureen Wilkie of Buffalo; 15 grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; and her siblings Robert (Kathleen) Murphy of Carlisle, Pa.; Rose Marie (James) Schuler of Simpsonville; Francis (Cindy Klimowicz) of Lackawanna; Marjorie (Anthony) DeJames of Hamburg; Sally (late William) Maund of Buffalo; late Catherine (Robert) Chapman of Grand Island; and Mathew F. (Frances) Roman Jr. of Corfu. Gina also leaves behind many nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at the Heritage Funeral Home in Simpsonville on October 12, 2021 beginning at 3:00 pm.  A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021 at 12:00 pm, at St. Louis Church, her former parish, Main and Edward Sts., Buffalo, 14202. Interment will be at Ascension Chapel in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Kenmore.