Reverend Richard Mann, 78, of Moro, IL, passed away unexpectedly on 24 May 2009 at St. Clare Medical Center in Fenton, MO, where he was recovering from knee surgery. His loving wife, Marjorie, was at his side.

Dick was born in Mascoutah, IL, on 2 July 1930, son of Erwin and Florence Mann. He attended SIU Carbondale and enlisted in the Navy in 1949. He served in an air transport squadron during the Korean War and following Prep School (NAPS), he entered the Naval Academy (18th Company) in 1952, graduating with the Class of  1956. He married Marjorie Klingel of Mascoutah, IL, on 9 June 1956.

His first tour was in Nice, France, on SALEM. He resigned from the Navy in 1960, and answering God’s call, he entered Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, MO, graduating in 1964. Throughout his United Church of Christ pastoral service, he served many churches in southern Illinois as pastor or interim pastor and participated in and led many community projects in Illinois and Missouri. A seminal event in Dick’s life was his participation in Reverend Martin Luther King’s march from Selma, AL, to the state capitol in Montgomery to protest violence in Selma and the lack of voting rights for blacks. A man of many abilities, Dick was a research engineer for the National Academy of Sciences; chief engineer for Bergan  Built Inc.; and co-owner of Custom Molders, Inc. If you have ridden to the top of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis in one of those small compartments, you have enjoyed one of Dick’s ideas and work. This, plus a thorough enjoyment of music, singing, fishing, golfing, camping, wood working, reading, carpentry, cards and above all, family and friends and his religious intensity, just begin to create a picture of the real Dick, or “Buzz” as he was known by USNA Classmates.

Along with Marjorie, Dick is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, David and Laura Mann of Katy, TX, and James and Sandra Mann of Elgin, IL; daughter and son-in-law, Katherine and Todd Camerer of Bethalto, IL; five grandchildren, Rachel Mann of Houston, TX, Angella Mann of Normal, IL, Timothy Mann of Elgin, IL, and Tyler and Natalie Camerer of Bethalto, IL; sister, Constance Freels of Centralia, IL; brother and sister-in-law, William and Kendra Mann of Colorado Springs, CO; and as foster parents, 56 infant and foster children.