Norman Ellis Mann

March 19, 1922 - March 8, 2021

SAN DIEGO — Norman Ellis Mann, orthodontist, Naval officer, iconoclast who enjoyed playing the kazoo, inquiring about penguin burgers, and befriending all he came across wearing his ‘There he is’ hat, died in San Diego on March 8, 2021.

Norman was born on March 19, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York to Paul and Paulette Mann. He received his bachelor’s degree from New York University where he also met his future wife, Sivia Brenner. Norman received his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Pittsburgh. Norman and Sivia wed on June 4, 1944 and were married for 76 years during which they raised their children, Mark and Stacy in San Diego.

Norman joined the Navy as an officer in 1943 and released from active service in 1956. In 1952 he was transferred to San Diego. He and Sivia immediately decided to call San Diego home. After leaving the Navy he practiced orthodontics and during summers he would travel with Sivia to Israel to do charity work with Alpha Omega/Dental Volunteers for Israel. Norman always wanted to encourage others to think about how to make the world a better place. He created the “International Friendship Club” whose motto was “We try harder to be good friends.” He passed out Avis buttons and stickers to all new members after they repeated the special call of “Who Who!” He ran twice for Congress in California, though was never elected.

Norman was a force of nature to all who knew him. He loved to travel and passed his love along to his children and grandchildren. He always dressed to impress often with bolo ties and patterned camp shirts crafted by his daughter, Stacy, and he was known to walk up to total strangers and ask “Who’s your orthodontist?” He loved the opera and classical music and stayed abreast of current events until the day he passed away. After surviving

COVID-19, along with his wife, in 2020, he was featured in the UnionTribune which became a bright spot in a difficult year.

Norman was preceded in death by his son Mark (Ellen Karch). He is survived by his wife, Sivia, daughter, Stacy, five grandchildren (Jennifer, Karen, Howard, Rachel and Micah) and seven greatgrandchildren (Lucy, Madelyn, Max, Mira, Jacob, Aviva and Asher).

A small funeral service will be held on Friday, April 16th at the Miramar National Cemetery. Donations in Norman’s name can be made to Beth El Synagogue or the Parkinson’s Foundation.