Official Obituary of
William Ronald Mann
December 12, 1933 ~ June 29, 2021 (age 87) 87 Years Old
William Mann Obituary
William Ronald Mann was born December 12,1933 in San Francisco, California and passed away June 29, 2021, in Pocatello, Idaho at Portneuf Medical Center from a sudden brain hemorrhage.
Ron lived a long, fruitful life with his wife Pamalee Clair Poor who passed in 2011 and his son, Brooks Spencer who passed in 1981. Ron and Pam have 9 children, 50 grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren with 4 on the way.
William Ronald Mann is survived by his sister Jane Mash, the families of his daughters; Carrie Merrill, Missie Pasquale, Amy Lindquist, Christy Mann, Phoebe Morris, Sarah Sheperd, Hillary Abplanalp and his son Charles Mann.
He was born to Katherine Zerrilda Emmett and William Hoggan Mann and was called by his middle name, Ron, since he shared his father’s first name.
His childhood was at the height of the Great Depression. Finding work was difficult for his father who had many failed ventures leading to his parents’ divorce at age 14. Ron always enjoyed spending summers with his grandma and grandpa Emmett at Clear Lake, California. He and his mother moved in with them after the divorce. His mother later remarried Donald Mash who was a graduate student at Stanford.
His mother and Donald had two daughters and although there was a large age gap, he always loved Jane and Suzie.
Ron started at Palo Alto High School and excelled in sports. He was injured near the end of his first football season and watched the last game on crutches. The coach of the school’s nationally ranked swim program visited Ron at lunch one day and told him he had a place for him on the water polo team. He became the goalie and won the league championship the next two years. They also beat the freshman team from Stanford. This began a great run for his high school team that led to him gaining spot on the team at San Jose State University where he attended college and was the captain of his water polo team. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame there and was then invited to play with the San Francisco Olympic Club. He traveled to compete in the Olympic trials hoping for a spot in the Australia Olympic Games. They lost by one goal.
After college he taught Industrial Arts at South Lake Tahoe High School where he met his sweetheart, Pam. Their adventure began together when they were married in 1958.
He was drafted and was not able to start his second year teaching. He said he was off to the Army, but it was his new wife who was the real trooper as she happily moved in with his grandparents, the Emmett’s, and got a job filing medical records. Ron was assigned to the Artillery Board in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
He said it seemed like an eternity until he was able to move off post so Pam could come live with him in Oklahoma. They had now been apart longer than they had been together. Pam was so excited to move to Oklahoma and it was not long until missionaries, Elders Liston and Powell, from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived at their door. This was a moment in their lives that changed everything. Pam remembered that Ron had been baptized into the same church as young boy, but his mother never returned to church after his parents divorced so when Pam asked him about the religion, Ron did not know much. They learned together and Pam was baptized in 1960. He finished his tour of duty and returned to South Lake Tahoe.
After 6 years of marriage, they were finally blessed with their first child. She was such a blessing but had some difficulties at birth. Pam dedicated both her life and Ron’s life to the service of the Lord if He would spare their daughter’s life. They kept their promises and had 3 more girls before moving to Provo, UT for Ron to get a master’s degree in education at Brigham Young University.
Two more girls followed before they had a son who also had birth defects. His were much more extreme and they felt a move to Mesa, Arizona would have better services to help their son. They had another daughter before the move to Arizona and their last son just after they arrived.
Their oldest son, Brooks was 6 when he passed away. He had gone through many surgeries and taught valuable lessons to the entire family. Dad taught his children that families are forever and that they would have a chance to be with Brooks again after this life since he and Pam had been sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple.
Ron worked for the Phoenix institute of Technology teaching architectural drafting for many years and raised a beautiful family as he served in many church callings and in the community. He was loved by many for his service and the talents of his large family.
He and his wife moved to Glendale, Arizona and became property managers with just two children left at home. After the last two children were off to college, they transferred to a property in Phoenix. They purchased a large track of land for their posterity in Heber, Arizona and designed and built a cabin with their own hands. His dear wife was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2010 and passed away. He spent the next 12 years rotating around to different children’s homes - caring for and support them and helping them raise and teach their children. He was an incredible teacher.
Ron loved animals, chocolate milk, doing family history work and always won the award for best dressed. He was self-sacrificing, a listening ear and dedicated his life to his wife and children and serving God. He toured the country even in his 87th year visiting his posterity and attending all their life events while being treated for skin cancer.
When he was suddenly taken to the hospital for a brain hemorrhage, he refused any life-saving measures simply saying, “I’m ready.” He had spent his life preparing to meet God and felt ready to do that. He rejoined his bride and other loved ones who preceded him in death and now a new adventure awaits him beyond the veil of mortality.
A viewing will held at 8am with a funeral service at 9am on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 1054 W 2nd Place, Mesa, AZ 85201.
Following the funeral service, he will be interned with his wife at the City of Mesa Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.cornelisonfh.com
208-232-0542
Ron lived a long, fruitful life with his wife Pamalee Clair Poor who passed in 2011 and his son, Brooks Spencer who passed in 1981. Ron and Pam have 9 children, 50 grandchildren and 37 great grandchildren with 4 on the way.
William Ronald Mann is survived by his sister Jane Mash, the families of his daughters; Carrie Merrill, Missie Pasquale, Amy Lindquist, Christy Mann, Phoebe Morris, Sarah Sheperd, Hillary Abplanalp and his son Charles Mann.
He was born to Katherine Zerrilda Emmett and William Hoggan Mann and was called by his middle name, Ron, since he shared his father’s first name.
His childhood was at the height of the Great Depression. Finding work was difficult for his father who had many failed ventures leading to his parents’ divorce at age 14. Ron always enjoyed spending summers with his grandma and grandpa Emmett at Clear Lake, California. He and his mother moved in with them after the divorce. His mother later remarried Donald Mash who was a graduate student at Stanford.
His mother and Donald had two daughters and although there was a large age gap, he always loved Jane and Suzie.
Ron started at Palo Alto High School and excelled in sports. He was injured near the end of his first football season and watched the last game on crutches. The coach of the school’s nationally ranked swim program visited Ron at lunch one day and told him he had a place for him on the water polo team. He became the goalie and won the league championship the next two years. They also beat the freshman team from Stanford. This began a great run for his high school team that led to him gaining spot on the team at San Jose State University where he attended college and was the captain of his water polo team. He was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame there and was then invited to play with the San Francisco Olympic Club. He traveled to compete in the Olympic trials hoping for a spot in the Australia Olympic Games. They lost by one goal.
After college he taught Industrial Arts at South Lake Tahoe High School where he met his sweetheart, Pam. Their adventure began together when they were married in 1958.
He was drafted and was not able to start his second year teaching. He said he was off to the Army, but it was his new wife who was the real trooper as she happily moved in with his grandparents, the Emmett’s, and got a job filing medical records. Ron was assigned to the Artillery Board in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
He said it seemed like an eternity until he was able to move off post so Pam could come live with him in Oklahoma. They had now been apart longer than they had been together. Pam was so excited to move to Oklahoma and it was not long until missionaries, Elders Liston and Powell, from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived at their door. This was a moment in their lives that changed everything. Pam remembered that Ron had been baptized into the same church as young boy, but his mother never returned to church after his parents divorced so when Pam asked him about the religion, Ron did not know much. They learned together and Pam was baptized in 1960. He finished his tour of duty and returned to South Lake Tahoe.
After 6 years of marriage, they were finally blessed with their first child. She was such a blessing but had some difficulties at birth. Pam dedicated both her life and Ron’s life to the service of the Lord if He would spare their daughter’s life. They kept their promises and had 3 more girls before moving to Provo, UT for Ron to get a master’s degree in education at Brigham Young University.
Two more girls followed before they had a son who also had birth defects. His were much more extreme and they felt a move to Mesa, Arizona would have better services to help their son. They had another daughter before the move to Arizona and their last son just after they arrived.
Their oldest son, Brooks was 6 when he passed away. He had gone through many surgeries and taught valuable lessons to the entire family. Dad taught his children that families are forever and that they would have a chance to be with Brooks again after this life since he and Pam had been sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple.
Ron worked for the Phoenix institute of Technology teaching architectural drafting for many years and raised a beautiful family as he served in many church callings and in the community. He was loved by many for his service and the talents of his large family.
He and his wife moved to Glendale, Arizona and became property managers with just two children left at home. After the last two children were off to college, they transferred to a property in Phoenix. They purchased a large track of land for their posterity in Heber, Arizona and designed and built a cabin with their own hands. His dear wife was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2010 and passed away. He spent the next 12 years rotating around to different children’s homes - caring for and support them and helping them raise and teach their children. He was an incredible teacher.
Ron loved animals, chocolate milk, doing family history work and always won the award for best dressed. He was self-sacrificing, a listening ear and dedicated his life to his wife and children and serving God. He toured the country even in his 87th year visiting his posterity and attending all their life events while being treated for skin cancer.
When he was suddenly taken to the hospital for a brain hemorrhage, he refused any life-saving measures simply saying, “I’m ready.” He had spent his life preparing to meet God and felt ready to do that. He rejoined his bride and other loved ones who preceded him in death and now a new adventure awaits him beyond the veil of mortality.
A viewing will held at 8am with a funeral service at 9am on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - 1054 W 2nd Place, Mesa, AZ 85201.
Following the funeral service, he will be interned with his wife at the City of Mesa Cemetery.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Cornelison Funeral Home, 431 N. 15th Ave., Pocatello. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.cornelisonfh.com
208-232-0542
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