Dixie Mann

Dixie J. Mann, 83, of Geneva passed away Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, at 7:28 p.m. at Envive of Berne. She was born Dec. 16, 1940, in Huntington to William and Alice (Philley) Lafferty.
She attended St. Mary’s Parochial School and graduated from Huntington High School in 1958. She chose a career in business and was employed as a corporate executive secretary with Memcor/LTV Electrosystems of Huntington and Magnavox G&I Division in Fort Wayne. Her business career led to diverse experience in public relations, marketing and sales. Her artistic interest expressed through self-employment as an independent skin care and cosmetic consultant/manager with over 30 years with two corporations, Finelle Cosmetics and Jeunique International. On Nov. 28, 1970, she married the love of her life, John L. Mann, in Fort Wayne. Together, the two of them shared a lifetime of love and memories.
In 1975, she, her husband and sons moved to Portland, where she resumed her business interests as a freelance reporter and director of public relations and marketing for Citizens Bank & Travel of Portland. She was a 10-year member of Portland Beta Theta Chapter, Tri-Kappa Sorority and served as recording secretary and president of the chapter.
In 2000, a move to Geneva provided opportunities in business and helping others as a real estate sales associate with Mann Realty. She joined Geneva Proud with her husbandand served on the board of directors and second president of the renewed Geneva Chamber of Commerce. As a member of Geneva Proud, she authored a new guest column for Geneva in local newspapers. She designed Geneva Notes, which led to a page dedicated by a county paper, as Geneva Today. Her interest in art and photography provided nature photos for her beloved family, friends and local papers over the years. She was a supporting member of Friends of the Limberlost and Arts Place. She was a member of First Missionary Church in Berne and enjoyed sharing faith stories with family and friends. She became a member of Wired4Life.com in 2005 as a guest columnist for the new website newsletter designed for women members who have received implanted cardiac devices.
She enjoyed nature and wildlife photography, interior design, sharing inspirational emails with shut-ins and friends, landscape gardening and caring for pets. Her love of nature’s wildlife was of great enjoyment in a rural country setting of Geneva’s Limberlost area, southern Adams county, where she called home.
She is survived by her husband of Geneva; two sons, Richard M. Mann, Jeffersonville, Ohio; and Justin L. Mann, of Worthington; sister, Marilyn (Larry) Shellenbarger of Huntington; and three grandchildren, Austin Mann of Sabina, Ohio; and Kaleigh and Kiera Mann, both of Worthington.
Visitation will be four hours prior to the 6 p.m. celebration of life service Friday, Jan. 12 at Downing & Glancy Funeral Home, 100 N. Washington St., Geneva. Inurnment will take place at a later date in Riverside Cemetery in Geneva.
Arrangements provided by Downing & Glancy Funeral Home in Geneva. Online condolences may be made at www.glancyfuneralhomes.com.