Stella was born July 27, 1945, in the Eastman Community of Love County, the daughter of Alex and Irene (Mobley) Manning. She grew up on the family farm in Eastman and attended Turner Public School. After graduating high school, Stella attended a business school where she obtained her associate's degree in business. She obtained a position with Cooke County EMS in Gainesville, TX, where she started as an EMT and then trained as a paramedic before taking a position in management. During her time on the ambulance, she and her partner Big D were known as the A team of the service. During that time, Gainesville EMS was ranked as the #1 ambulance service in Texas. Once Stella went to the administrative side of the EMS, she also taught 911 dispatch and CPR certification. Altogether, Stella worked for more than 50 years with Cooke County EMS.

When Stella wasn't working, she loved to travel, do craftwork, and embroidery. She was an excellent markswoman and received several awards in numerous competitions. Stella loved baking cookies and cakes for family get-togethers. She also had a special memento collection that related to each one of her children and grandchildren. Many things brought her great joy, but perhaps the thing that brought the biggest smile to the faces of her family was when she would sit down with the grandchildren and play her favorite video game, Super Mario Brothers.

Stella was preceded in death by her parents; brother, R.D. Manning; and her first husband and father of her children, Don C. Sloan. Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Darla Sloan of Marietta, Don Sloan of Marietta and Delana Sloan of Ardmore, OK; grandchildren, Douglas Sloan, Francheska Brinkley, Donovan Sloan, Shelby Bohanan, Stella Enriquez, Emily Sloan, Matthew McLeaster, Nathan Spears, and Katie Conway; uncle, Sonny Mobley; spouse of the late R.D. Manning; nephews, David Scott Manning and Michael Paul Manning; niece, Michele Corbett Martin; cousins, Jamie Mobley, Bruce Mobley, Don Mobley, Ricky Mobley, Ovella Baldwin, Verldeen Reed, Sandra Manning, and Frances Manning; and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Casket bearers are Rick Mobley, Andy Ajam, Chad Brinkley, Randy Hicks, Wes Reed, and Duane "Big D" Gaines. Honorary bearers are Bruce Mobley and Jim Hockersmith.