Rodney D. Mann, age 64, passed away peacefully on March 25, 2022, following complications from cardiac arrest.

He was our bigger-than-life mountain man with a gentle touch and a smile that lit up every room he entered. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, friend, and business consultant. He was beloved by all who knew him.

Rodney is survived by his loving wife, Joan Fox, and exceptional son, Ian, as well as by his sister Robyn Mann (James Benson) and his brother Richard Mann (Sheila); sisters- and brothers-in-law John Fox and Kathy Neus, Michael and Sara Fox, Peter Fox, Kathleen and Russell Whitney, Ann and Rob Cannon, and Beth Fox; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; countless friends; and his faithful dog, Rosie. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leona (Lee) and Roy Mann.

Rodney was born in San Francisco, where he lived until his family moved to Portland, Oregon, while he was in elementary school. He attended Lewis & Clark College in Portland; he played football for the Pioneers and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and mathematics. He later graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management with a Master of Science degree in strategy and finance.

While working for Ernst & Young in Boston, he met his colleague and future wife, Joan. They married in 2001 and made Chicago home.

Rodney loved city life, taking advantage of Chicago's arts, culture, sports and outdoor activities. He became a huge Cubs and Bears fan; he and Joan started taking Ian to Wrigley Field as a baby. Like Cubs fans everywhere, they were thrilled beyond words when the "lovable losers" won the World Series in 2016.

Rodney also loved the mountains and the wide-open spaces, and after running numerous marathons (Chicago, Boston, Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., to name a few) over the past three decades, he trained to become an accomplished mountaineer. He set his sights on summiting some of the highest peaks in North and South America, including Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood, Mt. Whitney, Alpamayo and Potosi in Bolivia, and Cotopaxi in Ecuador. Ian accompanied him on a recent climb on Mt. Baker.

Aside from his family, other interests of Rodney's included collecting and enjoying wine, traveling, reading, serving as Commissioner of the family fantasy football league, and supporting all of Ian's activities, from math team to lacrosse.

Physically and emotionally, Rodney leaves a very large hole in the lives of all those who knew him. We will never stop loving him, nor will we ever forget him. Rest in peace, mountain man.

A celebration of Rodney's wonderful life will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Club Lucky Restaurant, 1824 West Wabansia Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60622. Please RSVP to rdmcelebrationoflife@gmail.com.

For further information please call 312-421-0936.