Dixie Mann

Dixie J. Mann, 83, of Geneva, Indiana, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024, at 7:28 p.m. at Envive of Berne, Indiana.

She was born on Dec. 16, 1940, in Huntington, Indiana, to William and Alice (Philley) Lafferty.

Dixie 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, Indiana, and Magnavox G&I Division, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her business career led to diverse experience in public relations, marketing and sales. Dixie’s artistic interest expressed through self-employment as an independent skincare and cosmetic consultant/manager 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, Dixie, her husband and sons moved to Portland, Indiana, 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, Indiana, provided her opportunities in business and helping others, becoming a real estate sales associate with Mann Realty. She joined Geneva Proud with her husband John and 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. Dixie’s 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. Dixie became a member of Wired4Life.com in 2005 as a guest columnist for the new website newsletter designed for women members who had received implanted cardiac devices.

Dixie 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, south Adams County, where she called home.

Loving survivors include her husband, John L. Mann, of Geneva, Indiana; sons Richard M. Mann, Jeffersonville, Ohio, and Justin L. Mann, of Worthington, Indiana; sister Marilyn (Larry) Shellenbarger, of Huntington, Indiana; and grandchildren Austin Mann, of Sabina, Ohio, and Kaleigh and Kiera Mann both of Worthington, Indiana.

Family and friends may gather to share and remember at Downing & Glancy Funeral Home, located at 100 N. Washington St., Geneva, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, 2024. A service to celebrate Dixie’s life will follow at 6 p.m. with Pastor Rick Schwartz officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date in Riverside Cemetery, Geneva.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Downing & Glancy Funeral Home, Geneva.