Rodney Harlan Mann

Rodney Harlan Mann was born on Sept 11, 1951 in Ft Worth Texas to his parents, Leota Hortense and Raymond Edgar Mann.  He passed away June 3rd in Tyler Texas.

In his youthful years, Rodney was a precocious child full of curiosity, energy and love of his parents, brothers and sister. Like his father, he was athletic playing football and basketball in school.  His good looks made him popular in school. When not in class, he was eager to work on his parents’ ranch and at the cattle sale barn. 

Shortly after he graduated from Perrin High School he married and had a son named Chad. 

He moved to Houston and became an apprentice plumber.  It was there that Rodney was gravely injured in an industrial accident that resulted in severely injuring his left knee and the amputation of his left arm.  The life altering disabilities he suffered along with pain medication he was prescribed pushed him into depression and low self-esteem. From that time forward, Rodney was unable to return to the work force and barely subsisted.

During the last 5 years of his life, Rodney retained his characteristic coarseness, but he allowed some degree of a gentler, more thoughtful personality to shine through.  He regularly wrote letters to Mike and Rhonda and eagerly awaited visits with them during which he would always ask about Toby and Justin and their families and if they had talked to his sons or to Jason or to anyone in Rudy’s family.  Unfortunately, the pandemic ended those visits.

In the last 90 days, Rodney could see the pathway for him to come home to Gibtown.  Back to the house his parents lived in and back on the land he had grown up on.  He regularly called Mike and Rhonda, sometimes multiple times per week always giving them a list of actions he wanted them to accomplish for him.  During the next call, he would always review the actions to confirm that they had completed them for him.  It was during those phone calls that Rodney would tell them that he loved them and that he appreciated everything they did for him. 

Rodney was a complex man that was often difficult to like but beneath his coarseness and addictions, he was a kind man that was loved.  Like all of us, he was a child of God. 

Rodney had a tougher life than most people.  God loves the downtrodden, the afflicted, the sick and the poor. We know God loved Rodney. We won’t know why he had to endure so many hardships, but we do know that his difficulties and challenges are over and that he is in a better place.

Rodney was predeceased by

            Mother   Leota Hortense Mann (Ma Mann)

            Father      Raymond Edgar Mann (Pa Mann)

            Brother    Randy Mann

            Brother    Rudy Mann

 

Survived by

            Sons

                        Chad Mann, wife Jennifer, grandchildren Chase and Cayla

Brad Mann, wife Amy, grandchildren McKinsey Thurston, Haley James, Haden James and Abigail Mann.

            Sister

                        Rhonda Mann Lasley

            Sister-in-Law

                        Paula Mann

            Numerous nieces and nephews

He was a member of Gibtown Baptist Church