passed away quietly on Wednesday, August 14. She would have been 103 years old on September 27. She was born in Akron Ohio, the oldest of six sisters. Her parents, James and Rose, were immigrants from Russia via Ellis Island between 1896 and 1903. Early on they moved to Akron, where her father established a millinery store.
She attended high school in Akron and graduated from the University of Akron with a bachelor of science degree and a major in biology. Grace immediately became a biology teacher at the high school level. At this time, several years before World War II , she met Samuel Mann, with whom she shared two major interests, microbiology\biology and classical music\violin playing. They would play duets for their friends and families.
They married while living in Akron. However, soon they were moved to Chicago, Illinois by Sam’s employer, the American Home Corporation, Weyeth Pharmaceuticals. With the advent of World War II, their son Tom was born and Sam was moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to set up one of the first two plants for the commercial manufacture of penicillin. Soon, Grace, Sam and Tom were moved to Mexico City, Mexico at the request of the Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, to set up another new plant for the manufacture of penicillin. Grace lived in Mexico City for almost 2 years before returning to live in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
While Sam went on to start his own business, Grace gave birth to their second son,Bob, and occupied herself by raising her family most attentively. She came to love sports, whether it was attending the Cleveland Browns games or playing catch with the baseball or football with her sons and their friends. She loved going to high school football and basketball games at Shaker Heights High.
She took up golf and bowling, enjoying modest success in both. However, it was the
participation in and the comraderie with her friends that she truly enjoyed.
Later on she would love going to the high school football games and track and swim meets of her grandchildren at Hawken school.
After both boys went to college and into their business careers, she spent a number of years as a substitute teacher in the Shaker Heights high school system.
When Sam’s health brought on an early retirement, they took up a prolonged winter residence in Key Biscayne, Florida, where they made a new friends. The bowling and golf which she had enjoyed in Cleveland became a part of the past. They were replaced by bike riding, beach walking, and, to a minor extent, tennis. Since she soon became a grandma, that new role begin to occupy a great deal of her time.
Sam passed away in 1987. However, Grace’s commitment to her friends and above all to her family and grandchildren and then to her great grandchildren was unwavering and increasing.
She is survived by her son Tom, his wife Diann, their three loving children, Julie Mann Simons of Palm Beach Gardens FL, David Harold Mann of Westport CT, and William Richard Mann of Chevy Chase MD. Grace had nine great grandchildren. From Julie, her daughter Shoshana, a junior at Brown University, her son Aaron a freshman at Hamilton University and her son Jeremy an eighth grader at Meyer Academy. From David and his significant other Shannon, Sam, currently attending Norwalk CT community college, Conrad and Conor, currently 12th graders at Staples HS, and Claire, currently in the 10th grade at Staples in Westport. From Billy and his wife Tracy, their daughter Sofia currently entering second grade and their son Gabriel in pre-kindergarten.
Grace’s greatest joy for many of the recent years was having her grandchildren or great-grandchildren surround her.
Her great sadness in the last year was the passing of her son Bob last October, who was survived by his widow of four years, Lauren
Services will be held Friday, August 17 at 1 PM at THE TEMPLE-TIFERETH ISRAEL 26000 Shaker Blvd. Beachwood, OH. Interment Lake View Cemetery. Family will receive friends at Beechmont Country Club 29600 Chagrin Blvd. Orange, OH FRIDAY FOLLOWING SERVICES AND INTERMENT UNTIL 6 PM. Friends who wish may contribute to the Mann Lecture Fund c/o The Temple-Tifereth Israel
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