Robert D. Mann, Sr., 94, longtime Oak Harbor resident, passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2011.
Mr. Mann was born in Omaha, Neb., on May 4, 1917, to Charles and Lucille (Kelly) Mann. He graduated from Tech High School in Omaha where he was the captain of the swim team. Robert went on to attend Creighton University, from which he received a BA degree in accounting.
On June 27, 1941, he married Verlee Bertha Peterson. They moved to Cordova, Alaska and then Anchorage, where Robert managed the public utility district. Several years later, the couple moved to Spokane where Robert began his accounting business. The family later moved to Milton-Freewater, Ore., and then Walla Walla for a time, where he served as the county Democratic Party chairman. They moved to Oak Harbor in 1967.
Robert owned and operated Mann’s Pro-Hardware in both Oak Harbor and Freeland. While in Oak Harbor, he received his broker’s license for business sales and appraisals, and was a member of the American Association of Appraisers. After the sale of the hardware stores in 1971, Robert started the Robert D. Mann CPA Service in Oak Harbor. He raised Syrian-breed pigeons, and was a member of the National Pigeon Association. He was a member of St. Augustine’s Parish in Oak Harbor.
Robert is survived by his wife Verlee, at home in Oak Harbor; son Robert D. Mann, Jr. (Linda) of Selah; three daughters, Gloria A. Mann of Seattle, Virginia V. Sarro of West Lebanon, N.Y. and Cathi M. Mann-Fisher (James) of Oak Harbor; seven grandchildren, Brenna A. Westervelt (Matt) of Seattle, Christina Seyerlein (Ed) of East Nassau, N.Y., Amy Van Ess (Jim) of Castleton-on-the-Hudson, N.Y., Sally L. Mann-Humphries (John) of Selah, James R. Fisher, Jr., Brandon D. Fisher (Jessica) and Holly A. Fisher, all of Oak Harbor; 15 great-grandchildren, Angela and Kenneth Mann, Lucy Humphries, Mason and Lucy Westervelt, Ann-Marie, William, Zachary and Abigail Seyerlein, Corey, Kendra and Christopher Houston, Chloe, Samantha and Emily Fisher; also, numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by a grandson, Kenneth Mann (1999), two brothers, Richard Mann (1979) and Charles Mann (1989) and a sister, Katherine Neilsen (1994).
A Funeral Mass will take place Friday, July 15, at 10 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church, preceded by Recitation of the Rosary. Interment will follow at Sunnyside Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to WAIF, P.O. Box 1108, Coupeville, WA 98239-1108. Family and friends are encouraged to sign the online guest register at www.whidbeymemorial.com.
