John Michael “Mike” Mann was born on February 26, 1947, and died at home unexpectedly on Tuesday morning. He was born in Texarkana, Arkansas, to Rosalind Chester Mann and John C Mann, Jr. Along with his sister, Carroll, he was raised in Ringgold, Louisiana, and graduated from Ringgold High School in 1965. He followed his high-school sweetheart, Suzanne, to Louisiana Tech University and soon after, joined the Army National Guard.
After college, he went to work in sales for Salley Grocer but it was a lunch date with his wife, Suzanne, when he found his true calling as pharmaceutical representative and later a trainer with Bristol-Myers Squibb. It was not long before Mike was being recognized and awarded trips all over the globe, which he and Suzanne loved traveling. He has won every honor with Bristol-Myers Squibb, included the top salesman in the country. He absolutely loved his job and made many lifelong friends. He always made sure to meet his wife at work for lunch every day.
Mike was avid fisherman for many years and enjoyed training bird dogs. Mike always stayed busy, whether it was volunteering with the Shreveport Medical Society’s annual oyster party, helping his friends with projects, or riding and spit-shining his Harley. He had a magnetic personality that made people flock to him. Mike loved to travel, especially to Hawaii and then later with his granddaughter to Disney World and the beach.
If you knew Mike, you can probably picture him in heaven impeccably dressed in a dark tailored suit with his tan complexion and not a single silver hair out of place and bringing food or help to anyone who needed it. We are lost without his love, support, and humor.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Rosalind and JC Mann. He is survived by the love of his life, Suzanne Noles Mann; his daughter, Suzette Gardner and her husband Noel; and his only granddaughter and namesake, Mary Michael Gardner. He is also survived by sister, Carroll Davidson and husband Dickie Davidson; brother-in-law, Frank Noles and wife Julie; nieces and nephews, John Gray Noles and wife Amy, Charles Davidson and his wife Melanie, Kristi Davidson and husband Larry Harbin, Kristen Wood and husband Neil; and great nieces and nephews, Cora and Zack Davidson, and Lauren and Grayson Noles, Sarah and Thomas Rachel. He is also survived by his special furry four-legged friends, Abbie and Bella.
Pallbearers are Terry McCall, Spider Gardner, Charles Davidson, John Noles, Frank Noles, Mark Middlebrooks, Tom Taylor, and Johnny Harrison. Honorary Pallbearers are Dickie Davidson and Ed Cannon.
We want to thank our very special friends, Terrie and Terry McCal,l for being our close friends and traveling buddies. We would also like to thank Carol and Spider Gardner for always being there for us. We would like to thank Dr. Larry Broadwell and Dr. Bob Holladay for their special care during the past year. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s or to an animal shelter or rescue of your choice.
The funeral will take place at Hill Crest Memorial Funeral Home in Haughton, on Saturday, August 17, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Hill Crest Memorial Park. Visitation will be on Friday, August 16, 2019, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
You may offer condolences to the family by visiting www.hillcrestmemorialfh.com.
