Dorothy Blanche Crabtree Mann

1930 - 2017

ODESSA - Dorothy Blanche Crabtree Mann, 87, passed away on Ash Wednesday, March 1, 2017 from complications of Alzheimer's and pulmonary fibrosis. Her funeral service will be conducted at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2017 in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church Odessa with Pastor Byron McWilliams officiating. The graveside service will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Prior to the service, her family will be receiving friends from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in the Discovery Room of the church. Viewing will be on Friday, March 10th from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Frank W. Wilson Funeral Directors in Odessa, TX. Dorothy was born January 26, 1930 in Abilene, TX. She attended Hardin-Simons University graduating with a B.S. majoring in Education and Art. She went on to obtain a M.Ed. in Counseling from Sul Ross State University and completed graduate courses from UTPB, Peabody College for Teachers, and Texas State University. She married her college sweetheart, Bert Mann, on August 19, 1950 in Abilene, TX and moved to Odessa in August 1953. Dorothy began her 36-year professional career teaching third and fourth grades in Orange, TX. Shortly after that, she joined ECISD in Odessa teaching 28 years in the primary grades (mostly first grade) and 6 years in the Magnet Program teaching art (K-6). She was a Sunday school teacher for three decades at First Baptist Church Odessa along with serving as a Sunday school director, department secretary, and class officer. Her involvement also extended to service on various church committees including Flowers, Hospitality, and Preschool. She volunteered with the Odessa Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alliance Hospital, Odessa Regional Medical Center, and the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library. She served with The Delta Kappa Gamma Society as Secretary, Executive Board Member, Chairman and Member of six committees. She was involved with the Odessa Art Association, the Permian Playhouse Theater, and was an original patron of the Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest. She held life memberships in the Texas State Teachers Association, the Parent Teachers Association, Phi Delta Kappa, and the Texas Retired Teachers Association. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Bert Mann; her parents, Charles and Charlene Crabtree; and sons, Richard and David. She is survived by sons, Chuck Mann and wife Shirley of Plano, TX, Craig Mann and wife Inul of Cypress, TX; grandchildren, Melissa Mann Raptis and husband George of Cortland, OH, Chelsea Mann Suggs and husband Brady of Lewisville, TX, Jake Mann of Denton, TX, Kyndall Mann Daniel and husband Preston of Bedford, TX, and Luke Mann and wife Laurie of Houston, TX; and great grandchildren, Elias Raptis, Abby Raptis, and Corbin Raptis of Cortland, OH and Caden Suggs of Lewisville, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made as a tribute in memory of Dorothy Mann to the Scholarship Fund of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International which promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education at www.dkg.org/dkgdonate.