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Francis Carroll McMann Jr., of Marion Iowa, died on August 18th, 2023. A visitation will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5-7pm on Wednesday, August 23rd, 2023. A memorial service will be held 11:00 am on Thursday, August 24th, 2023, at the Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids. A public visitation will be held one hour prior, beginning at 10:00 am at the Church. A private family inurnment will be held at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Francis was born on January 1, 1949, in Cedar Rapids. He is the son of Francis Sr, and Wilma (Kimm) McMann. Francis was a heart transplant recipient in July of 2012, a gift given by an anonymous donor family.
He graduated from George Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, IA, in 1967. In 1980, he returned to Washington High School as a teacher (and later chair) after completing his BA, MA, and Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. He married Carolyn Jean Jepsen (Iowa City, IA) in 1979, and together they proceeded in a life-long adventure of teaching and learning.
Francis is survived y his wife, Carolyn; son James F. McMann (Decorah, IA); daughter Kathryn J. (Joe) McPherson (Orono, MN); grandchildren Morgan and Brady McPherson; his sister Diane Bedell (Iowa City, IA); nine nephews and nieces; very special niece Amy (Randy) Stevens; very special nephew Michael Holst; and lifelong friends Betsy Huston (Davenport, IA), and Peter Larson (Cedar Rapids, IA).
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Kim Newmister; and his brother Keith C McMann.
The family has requested memorials be directed to Cedar Rapids Community School District Foundation in honor of Dr. Francis McMann Scholarship Fund, or a charity of choice.
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Peter Larson
What a pleasure and treasure it was to have had Francis as my best friend for 60 years! He was the first friend I made when both of us were new students at McKinley in the 9th grade (he from Immaculate Conception School and I having just moved to CR from Osage, IA), Shared several classes together and walked to and from school in the same general direction, living 3 blacks apart.
It was a great time to be young with all the music, fun, and great times there were to be had and shared in the 60's. Soon we were 16 and were able to drive cars which gave even us even greater breadth of freedom to experience and enjoy even greater things in life. The last thing we would have wanted to do was to be tied up with a stupid phone in our hands for more than half the day.
We had a very close knit group of special friends.back then, We all went our separate ways after high school and led very different lives apart from one another. Some went to college, some joined the military, and some went directly into jobs. When years would pass without seeing each other, it made no difference. We were still the friends we always were.
Only one of us returned to Washington High School. Francis loved to teach and was beloved by many of his students over the years. His favorite shirt was one that read AP Economics. He was highly respected among his peers. He was an avid reader, a life-long learner, with a great sense of humor and a generous soul,
I was overcome with tears the day his wife called me from Mayo Clinic and told me Francis had just received his new heart and it was beating strong in his body. For 11 more precious years, we remained the best of friends to the very end.
Rest in heavenly peace, my dear, dear friend.
Margot Sears (Hoffman)
I had no idea that I was dancing with Francis McMann Jr's father, Francis McMann Sr. until I read the obituary. This is so sad, because Francis Sr. passed away in 2015. Eight years later, the son Francis Jr. passes away, and I didn't realize they were related. Francis' father took ballroom dancing lessons at Arthur Murray studios for years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was an excellent ballroom dancer, and he was well aware how good he was. I recall Francis Jr. from Washington High School, but I wasn't close to him to remember details. It's disheartening to see how many of our classmates have passed away, and also disappointing that we didn't know each other very well. There were a lot of good school-mates in Washington High School. It's touching to read how he affected Peter Larson and I really enjoyed reading his tribute to Francis. Thank you for that, Peter!
Here is Francis Jr's father's picture and his obituary. I can see the resemblance.
https://www.cedarmemorial.com/Obituary/2015/Nov/Francis-McMann-Sr/
Paul Haglund
Peter,
Many thanks for your memorial to Francis. There were so many great people in Cedar Rapids. I knew many at Kenwood, McKinley and Washington but the In Memorium comments show clearly that there were many, many more wonderful people that I never became well acquainted with. Thank you for opening my eyes to another exemplary classmate.