Mrs. Famous Jean Mann

Famous Jean Mann, 88 of Oak Ridge, TN. passed away April 1, 2017 at Asbury Place in Maryville, TN. Famous Reed was born in Stella, Kentucky on January 28, 1929 to Loy Herod Reed and Peggy Minix Reed. She was the youngest girl with older sisters Beulah, Gladys, Edith, Rose, Maude and Beatrice, an older brother Jim and a younger brother who is still living, Bill Reed of Hamler Ohio. She was known as Jean to family and friends and rarely used the unique first name of Famous. Jean’s mother Peggy died of Tuberculosis when Jean was only 13 years old. A few years later Jean was a passenger in a car wreck when windshields were still plate glass, Jean was scarred and recounted how the family kept all the mirrors covered in the house so she could not see her face while it was healing. Luckily the scarring outlined her checks and she became a very striking woman with vivid red hair. Even in later years, Jean kept her hair dyed red. During WWII, while still a teenager of 16, Jean used her older sister Maude’s birth certificate to qualify for a teaching job at a one-room school -house in Breathitt County Kentucky. The children were from feuding families and Jean described how she persuaded them to gather walnuts to break up the hair pulling fights that broke out during recess. Jean went to live with an older sister Beatrice and Frank Beatty in Louisville Kentucky and got a job working at the Kentucky Derby where she sold a hot dog to Bing Crosby. While there, friends encouraged her to mount a thoroughbred racehorse that promptly ran away with her. Luckily she survived that and returned to Magoffin County to work for her father, Loy Reed who was elected Magoffin County Court Clerk. Upon marriage to Arnett Augustus Mann in 1950, she became Famous Jean Mann. Her husband Arnett preceded Jean in death in 1969. Prior to his death Jean worked as paralegal for him, as Arnett was the Magoffin County Attorney. Jean held various positions later in life including Deputy Sheriff in Magoffin County. She received an Associates Degree in Business Administration from Prestonsburg Community College. Jean was an accomplished artist and sculptor. She studied oil painting briefly under Russell May, a beloved East Kentucky landscape artist. She won many awards for her paintings while in Eastern Kentucky. She dug clay from the riverbank and sculpted busts of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy during the 60’s. She was invited to donate those to the Smithsonian, but she declined. Jean wrote a book, Through a Glass Darkly in the 1965, which generated interest with publishers at that time, but was only finally published for her 80th birthday through a print on demand publisher. Jean relocated to Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the 1990’s to be near her daughters there. She will be remembered for her wonderful laugh, vivid imagination and continuous concern and love for all of her children . Jean is survived by her children: John Wesley Mann of Lexington Kentucky, Della Morrow and husband, Bill of Maryville, Tennessee, David J. Mann of Maryville, Tennessee, and Peggy Mann formerly of Oak Ridge, TN.; grandchildren: John W. Mann and Amanda Mann of Nashville, TN, Matthew Morrow of Knoxville, TN, Rachel Vasseur of Oak Ridge, TN, Evan Brice Mann and wife Kaitlin of Ohio. And a great grand child: Forrest Mann of Ohio; brother: Bill Reed and wife Jan of Hamler Ohio. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive her. 1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV; “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mrs. Famous Jean Mann please visit our Sympathy Store.