Wayne Abbott Mann

1933 - 2023

Wayne Abbott Mann

Canterbury, NH - Wayne Abbott Mann, 89, of Canterbury, passed away March 13, 2023, after a brief illness.

Wayne was born May 10, 1933, in Hamilton, Mass., a son of Ethel L. (Gilliatt) and Wallace R. Mann. The family moved to North Hampton, NH, in 1934. While attending Hampton Academy, Wayne played on the 1949 State Championship- winning football team. He graduated in 1951, and then earned a BS in General Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire in 1955, and an MS in Logistics Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology, School of Systems & Logistics, in 1973.

A proud veteran of the United States Air Force, Wayne retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after serving 27 years, with 17 years as an Air Operations Officer and six years as an Aerospace Maintenance Director, completing his career as a Logistics and Programs Staff Officer. As a pilot, Wayne flew more than 7,000 hours, of which 833 were combat hours over Southeast Asia in the EC-121 Super Constellation. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, and Air Force Commendation Medal, and was honorably discharged in July 1980.

New Hampshire was always home, no matter where Wayne's Air Force career took him and his family.

Upon retiring from the Air Force, Wayne and his family established their permanent home in Canterbury, where he raised sheep, tomatoes, corn, and pumpkins, and produced maple syrup and hay. He was a vendor at the Concord Farmers' Market for 20 years.

Wayne recognized the significance of agriculture to the quality of life and economy of New Hampshire and its people. He dedicated many years to serving New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation, as president from 2000 through 2007, and prior to that many years as NHFB first vice-president; he was interim executive director of NHFB from 1999-2001. He was also an Eastern States Exposition Trustee, and member of the board of directors and advisory board of Farm Family Insurance.

His adopted hometown of Canterbury was important to Wayne. He was Town Moderator from 1996-2016, and also contributed as a member of the Canterbury Planning Board, as president of the Canterbury Housing Association, and as founder and first chair of Canterbury's Agriculture Commission. As a member of Canterbury United Community Church, he served several years as moderator and as a trustee. Wayne was invited to speak many times at the annual Canterbury Memorial Day celebration, where he wore his Air Force uniform with pride.

Wayne is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ruth E. (Fife) Mann; his children, Martha J. Davoli and her husband Peter P. Davoli of Scarborough, Maine, Douglas W. Mann and his wife Erin B. Mann of Tipp City, Ohio, and Rebecca A. Davis of Canterbury; his grandchildren, Benjamin R. Davis and his wife Amy E. Ladds-Davis, Simon H. Davoli, Carter D. Mann, Abigail E. Davis, William N. Davoli, and Hayden M. Mann; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Earle Mann, his sisters Thelma Blaney and Marjorie Messer, and son-in-law Allen Davis.

A private burial with military honors will be held at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, Boscawen. A memorial service will be held on Monday, April 17, at 1:30 PM at Canterbury United Community Church, Canterbury, NH. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Wayne's memory to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (www.t2t.org), Canterbury United Community Church (P.O. Box 216, Canterbury, NH 03224), or New Hampshire Farm Bureau Federation (295 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, NH 03301).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bennettfuneral.com for the Mann family.