Ann Leubert Mannix

1926 - 2017
Ann Leubert Mannix, 90, Faithful, Fearless, Exuberant New Yorker

Ann Elizabeth Leubert Mannix passed on Easter Monday, no doubt following her Lord home.
New York City-born in 1926, lovingly raised by German immigrants Josephine and Paul, cherished by brothers Paul and Alfred, Ann was also molded by her richly diverse City.
A heart murmur barred Ann from walking to Catholic elementary school, so she attended the closer public school, and had to sit out gym. But after graduating, nothing ever kept her down again.
Vivacious throughout high school, during senior year she sold at Macy's and discovered her passion for retailing. (Truth be told, there was nothing in life she was not passionate about.)
Ann prayed fervently for her brothers when they went to war. After her prayers were answered in 1945, she thereafter attributed everything to "Him".
The retail bug took Ann to Martins department store, where this woman-about-town rose to handkerchief buyer on enthusiasm. She daringly bought 5000 handkerchiefs for a 69 cent sale. Her boss celebrated when they sold out amid pandemonium, but Ann was too busy getting "more goods".
Ann left retailing in 1951 to marry beloved John Joseph Mannix, but lost him in 1956, becoming a single mom to Mark and Christopher. She picked herself up, and on day one of pavement-pounding, a voice boomed, "Where've you been!" It was Dave Luckman (brother of NFL QB Sid), a colleague at Martins, now at Gimbel Brothers. He hired Ann immediately. A family punster insisted Ann sure had "luck, man", but Ann maintained that her fortunes were "all my Lord".
In 1959, Gimbels asked her to become their first female store manager, in Bay Shore, Long Island. That was a daunting jump for a single mom – so she jumped. From 1959 - 1971, her store flourished, as her enthusiasm and humanity won hearts and minds, and maybe some souls. Ann always found time to "be there" for the sons she endlessly loved and sacrificed for, including some times they weren't expecting her to "be there".
Ann returned to NYC in 1971, but then shocked all in 1976 by leaving Gimbels for executive search, in real estate. She insisted, "I know people". She sure did, and was a resounding success, delighting in changing her candidates' lives.
In 1998, Ann retired, but worked to 2013 seasonally proctoring NY State professional exams. Meanwhile, in 1983 she began accumulating six other part-time jobs she loved – grandmother of four, great grandmother of two.
Ann suffered strokes in 2013. She did more than recover - she experienced a rebirth. She adapted beautifully and became a fount of happiness, faith, inspiration, and caring for fellow residents in assisted living.
Ann is immediately survived by her rock, Alfred (Captain, USMC, Ret.), her sons, her grandchildren Rebecca, Michael, Megan, and Rachel, and great grandchildren Rocco and Xander.
Ann is forever survived by her enduring gifts of example, faith, love, happiness, courage, counsel and her smile, all dispensed straight from the heart in order to circulate forever.