These pictures are from our trip to Miami and Cuba in 1950. We are getting on the plane in a field to fly to Cuba.
Jack is wearing his First Communion suit.
My son Jack wrote a long and complimentary essay about me for my 86th birthday. My daughter Kit insists it should be included.......
July 27, 2003
Dad has an inner peace that puts day-to-day problems in their appropriate place---secondary to the important things in life. Dad always found a way to pull off the best vacation possible within the resources he had or, more likely, somewhat beyond the resources he had. Florida in 1945; Florida and Cuba in 1951; Quebec, Canada in 1952; Ocean City; Atlantic City; New York City; Lake George; and the almost weekly trips to North Beach in the summers. All done on the salary of a plumber and a secretary. Mom would often say in some distress "We are in the hole again." Dad would reply "Everything will turn out OK. I wouldn't spend money we don't have." Mom would point out with more than a little exasperation "We already spent money we don't have. That's how we got in the hole in the first place." Dad would then get a serene smile on his face and look into the distance thinking, I believe, about the good times on the trip they had just taken. Somehow between Mom's sense of economy and Dad's sense of adventure everything worked out more than OK.
Dad drove me to work my first day as a summer apprentice for the Plumber's Union. He told me not to worry if I heard bad things about him from some of the other plumbers. I didn't realize that as the Business Manager about half the people liked him and about half the people didn't care for him at all. Not until everybody realized that I was "Johnny Mann's boy" did the negative comments stop, at least in my presence. It was far beyond my understanding why anyone would criticize my father who was so obviously a wonderful man.
While other servicemen at the end of World war II were thinking only about how many hot dates they could have in Europe before they returned to their wives and families in the States, Dad managed to be as happy as he could be as the adopted "uncle" to a German widow's children and the solver of a multitude of problems in the small Bavarian town of Schledorf.
Dad was determined to make a difference in the parish and the neighborhood. This led to many hours leading others to get things done and volunteering his services. He started the St. Mary's Mens Club; organized gala events recognizing youth sports teams that I happened to be on, renovated parish buildings and served as a block captain for the local Democratic organization.
Dad was always in the middle of things with his parents, brothers aunts, uncles, cousins and assorted other relatives. He always had a gleam in his eye, channelling on the energy that seem to exist whenever he was together with at least one other person, especially if that person was a relative. He visited his parents regularly, never seeking to show off. Rather, he always sought to see what he could do to make Noma's and Champ's life easier.
Although Dad's devotion to his Kitty and his children clearly was his number one priority, he also always managed to find time to help others in many wonderful ways. He has the right word of encouragement for everybody and, more than anyone I have ever met, he genuinely cared for all people and treated them with love and respect.
Dad has an unusual mixture of optimism and modesty that is supremely attractive. More than once the facts and reality should have held him back from some of his adventures. But, his determination and guts led him to try anyway, fighting off obstacles and eventually pulling off some miracle, such as the Plumber's pension plan, the union's vacation plan and its credit union. All this was done despite severe opposition from union rivals and without the benefit of any training in business or economics. He simply relied on the hard lessons he had learned about how to do good for others even when it was far from easy to do.
There were also moments of frustration that he had to endure. These were usually related to some mechanical problem that required a type of patience that just didn't exist in Johnny Mann. Dealing with difficult people was a piece of cake compared to making any effort to read instructions on how to put something together or to look at a map to see how to get someplace.
The blue eyes sparkle and the spirit thrives. With determination and modesty, Johnny Mann continues to do what he does best--- he keeps on doing good, even when its not easy.
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