Sidney John Mann Ph.D.

PORTLAND – Sidney John Mann, Ph.D., passed away at the age of 89 in the presence of family on March 30, 2025, at Maine Medical Center. He was born on Jan. 22, 1936, in Elmira, N.Y.

He is survived by his loving wife Diane Manzi-Mann; daughter, Francesca Elderkin, sons John Manzi and Kent Meiswinkel, Ph.D.; grandsons Joshua Paladino, Caleb Bennett, Christopher Paladino, granddaughters Drew Paladino, Victoria Cappelluti; and many great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Cesari Mann; son, Ethan Mann; and sister, Barbara Mann.

Sidney came from a modest, single parent home. He placed highest value on family, friendships and hard work. Sidney met his dearly departed first wife, Mary, in their late teens. She inspired Sidney to become an educated, successful man, and their marriage lasted 60 years until her passing in 2017.

Sidney was what he called “a lifelong student”. He was awarded his Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Syracuse University, was a member of Rotary International, on the board and president of the Arnot Museum, and a member of the Malcolm Baldrige Foundation. He also had a passion for international travel and enjoyed sharing his adventurous stories with friends and family. Until his passing, his interest in others and the world never ceased.

His passion for learning and education led Sidney to become an educator and dean of students at Elmira College, making a deep impact on his students and community. In his lifetime, Sidney also worked as an art teacher, a lobbyist for Thatcher Glass, started his own computer company giving lessons on personal computers during the emergence of their use, and used his woodworking and engineering skills to repair and restore classic homes in Elmira.

In his free time, Sidney built his own home in Dundee, N.Y., using only 19th century tools and gave talks about construction in the southern tier of New York state. He was a wonderful artist and picked up photography later in his life. He loved folk, bluegrass, and classical music and enjoyed driving sports cars. Above all, Sidney was a mentor and role model to many. He was a respectable and genuine man with an immeasurable amount of wisdom and knowledge.

Sidney was remarried on Dec. 24, 2022, to Diane Kessler Manzi in Portland. Sidney lived the remainder of his life in the affectionate care and kinship of Diane and her family.