FRANK C. MANN

December 27, 1923 – April 11, 2020

Frank Carlton Mann, age 96, died at the Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City, Alabama, on Saturday, April 11, 2020.

Frank was preceded in death by his parents, William Thomas Mann and Frances Emma (Gilbert) Mann, and brothers Samuel David Mann (“Pete”), Bill Edward Mann, and Joseph Curtis Mann.

Frank is survived by his wife of 74 years, Louise Massey Mann, daughter Myra Mann Bailey (Pierce), sons Frank Carlton Mann II (Caroline), William Thomas Mann (Sandy), daughters Michele Mann Shepherd (Michael), Mary Mann Stevenson (John), Nina Mann Harvey (David), 11 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Frank was born in Barney Mines, Alabama and was raised in Docena where his father was employed as a coal miner. He attended the University of Alabama briefly in 1942 as a pre-med student before volunteering to serve in the U. S. Army Air Force in 1943. Qualifying as a B-17 and B-29 pilot, he flew twelve combat missions over Japan with the 504th Bomb Group based on Tinian Island in the Pacific. After his separation from the Air Force at the conclusion of World War Two, Frank re-enrolled in the University of Alabama, married Louise, and started his family. Following his graduation in 1948, he took a position in Jacksonville, Florida with the Atlantic Coast Railroad as a civil engineer.

In August of 1950 he was recalled to Air Force service as a B-29 pilot at the start of the Korean War. Because of his specialized engineering education and experience, however, he was selected for duty as a Missile Fuels Engineering Officer at the Air Force Missile Test Center, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. In August of 1952 Frank was released from active duty and he and his growing family returned to Alabama. Later that same year Frank took a position in the General Office of the U. S. Steel Corporation as an industrial engineer, working in the division’s coalmines.

After holding a variety of other positions within the company, he left U. S. Steel in May of 1971. He then served as a Mining Engineer and Supervisory Mining Engineer with the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor in Norton, Virginia until January of 1989. In 1978 he was honored with the award of the Department of Labor’s Medal of Valor for heroic actions, which included the rescue of three incapacitated and trapped miners during a mine disaster at the Moss Number 3 Mine in Dickenson County, Virginia. Frank was a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Alabama, the highest technical certification possible for engineers and one that is only attained by twenty percent of all engineers in the United States.

Frank was an avid golfer and following his retirement he greatly enjoyed his time playing the game and the many friends he made on the golf course. Another one of his lifelong hobbies was gardening and his greatest joy was sharing summertime vegetables. Frank and Louise loved to share their home with friends, family and neighbors and their door was always open for all.

Frank’s final four years of life were spent at the Colonel Robert L Howard State Veterans Home in Pell City, Alabama and he and his family were always grateful for the care and attention that was shown to him by the excellent staff at this facility. Absolutely indispensible to his comfort as his health was declining in the last years of his life was the kindness he received from Ms. Luretta Elston, who sat with him for ten hours a day. She has earned the everlasting gratitude and love of all of Frank’s family.

Memorial contributions may be made to Big Oak Ranch, Springville, Alabama.