Richard Jay Mann, 72, Brandon, South Dakota, passed away July 24.
He was born April 22, 1953, to Verlyn and Betty (Soutar) Mann in Lawton, Oklahoma, where Verlyn was stationed at the Fort Sill Army base.
Richard grew up in Luverne and graduated in 1971 from Luverne High School. He studied carpentry at Alexandria Technical College from 1971 to 1972 and returned home to help on the family farm before starting his career as a skilled carpenter.
In 1974 he married Joleah Twito and they raised two sons, Nicholas and Anthony, in Luverne. The couple later divorced. In 2006 Richard married Katie Ryan, and they made their home in Brandon, South Dakota. She passed away in 2020.
Richard was a lifelong member of the Sno-Masters Snowmobile Club in Rock County, and he was an avid collector of farm toys. He also enjoyed working on cars with his son, Anthony, during stock car racing seasons on the oval tracks in Rock Rapids, Brandon and other area towns.
In addition to his carpentry trade, Richard was employed at various local businesses, including Luverne Lumber, the Blue Mound Inn, M-M Distributing and most recently at Pace Manufacturing in Brandon. He retired in 2020.
In May of 2025 Richard was diagnosed with vascular dementia and only months later he died on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
He is survived by his son, Anthony (and Candice) Mann, Luverne, and their children, Jocelynn, Nicholas and Addyson; his mother, Betty Mann, Luverne; his siblings, Peggy Raker, Sioux Falls; Ken (Joy) Mann, St. Michael, Minnesota; and Andy Mann, Wentworth, South Dakota.
Preceding him in death were his father, Verlyn Mann, his son, Nicholas Mann, and his sister, Debra Barnes.
His family honored his memory with a private service on Saturday, Aug. 2.
