Barbara B. Mann

1913 - 2013

BARBARA B. MANN

December 15, 2013

Barbara Balch Mann, age 100, completed her work for the enrichment of music and the arts in the community she loved on December 15,2013. On January 4,1913 she was the last child born in the Balch home built by her ancestors in 1750, in Topsfield, Massachusetts. In 1922 her mother brought her and her sister Helen to Fort Myers to live with her mothers parents. She graduated from Fort Myers High School in 1929 and was presented her diploma by Thomas Edison. Mrs. Edison, Mina, had presented her with a large basket of flowers earlier that year when she was the star in the school play. She later met her future husband George, when they both performed in a play presented on the old Pleasure Pier in downtown Fort Myers in 1935. They were married in 1938. In 1947 the two founded George T. Mann Construction, with George as the General Contractor and Barbara as Office Manager and bookkeeper. George and Barbara were married for 59 years until his passing in 1996.

In 1923 Barbara and her sister Helen, performed for Connie Mack and the Philadelphia Athletics, as part of an effort to lure the team to Fort Myers for Spring Training.( It worked) Over the years Barbara was either organist or choir director, or both, at St. Luke's Episcopal , First Christian, and First Baptist Churches, and finished her church career after a thirty year stint at First Presbyterian Church, retiring in 1998. She was a founding director of the Fort Myers Community Concert Association in 1948, and served as the organization's President for 57 years. She founded the Edison Choraliers, which performed during the Edison Pageant of Light, was president of the Fort Myers Woman's Community Club, and the Rotary- Anns. Barbara was also the charter president of the Lee County Alliance for the Arts. Her lifelong ambition was to have a college degree, which was virtually impossible for a young woman growing up in the depression. But she enrolled, in her sixties, at Edison Community College, received a degree there, then enrolled at Thomas Edison State College of New Jersey, and from there proudly received her bachelor's degree. As a tribute to her many years of leadership in the arts and culture in the community, the Florida Legislature named the new performing arts hall at Edison College after her.

She is survived by her two sons, George T. (Pat) Mann Jr., (Jena), and Franklin,(Mary Lee), 5 Grandchildren, Frank Mann Jr.,(Deirdre), Ian Mann, Michelle Mann Strazis (Chip),George T.(Ted) Mann III, Christina Mann Savino (James) and thirteen great grandchildren.

At her request, the family will receive friends and members of the Community Concert Association at the Judd Pavilion of the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall on Friday, December 20, from 4:00 until 6:00 PM. A formal celebration of Barbara's life will be held on Saturday, December 21, at 2:00 PM, at the First Presbyterian Church, 2438 Second St. in downtown Fort Myers. Contributions to the Fort Myers Community Concert Endowment Fund will honor her memory. Donations may be mailed to Fort Myers Community Concert Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 606, Fort Myers, FL 33902.