William H. MANN

1926 - 2017

MANN, William H. William Houston Mann, age 91, of Southampton and Palm Beach passed away on August 27, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. The cause of death was pneumonia. Born June 13, 1926 in Baltimore, MD to Henry and Helen Mann (nee Grimes), Mr. Mann was educated at Le Rosey, Switzerland, Brooks School, and graduated from Yale class of '50 after serving in the US Navy for 2 years in the Pacific during World War II. Mr. Mann was President of Manca Inc and President of Leitz Inc importers of cameras and industrial scientific instruments. Leitz eventually became Leica camera company. Mr. Mann was the founding member and served as chairman of the board for 30 years for St. Lukes Institute, a Catholic healing ministry for the clergy. He received the award of Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice from the Pope in 2006. An avid lover of opera, Mr. Mann was a member of the Met Opera Club and was co-chair of the Collegiate Chorale Board for many years. He was a member of the Hampton Classic. He was a member of many clubs, including the Knickerbocker, the Yale Club, the Bathing Corporation, the Meadow Club, National Golf Club, Maidstone Club, Everglades Club and the Bath and Tennis in Palm Beach. Mr. Mann was fluent in German, French and Spanish. He lived in Argentina briefly with his first wife, Beba Spradling, the mother of his five children. He was a gentleman in every respect and loved and admired by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Anna Murdoch Mann, and his four daughters and a son; Paul Mann, of Miami, Monique Czaja of Venice, FL, Mercedes Olivieri of Sagaponack, NY, Alexandra Talmage of Springs, NY and Maria Mann, New Jersey; Seven grandchildren and one great grandson. His surviving sisters are Dickie Cummins, East Hampton and Helen Wright of Manhattan. A private funeral for family and close friends will be held on Wednesday August 30th in Southampton. A Memorial aand celebration of his life will be held at a later date to be announced.