By GARRETT NEESE

The Houghton Daily Mining Gazette

HANCOCK — One of Deb Mann’s many contributions to Hancock was helping to grow the farmer’s market from a small, out-of-the-way event at Porvoo Park to a bustling happening in the heart of downtown.

It was at the market on Quincy Green where about 100 people met Thursday night to share memories of her life.

Mann, who was Hancock’s Downtown Development Authority coordinator, died Tuesday in a house explosion in Hancock Township. Her husband, who survived the explosion, was at the remembrance with their daughters.

“We were a little jealous of how she spent her time sometimes, but seeing this just makes us really appreciate how involved she was,” said her daughter April Young. “You can see the legacy and footprint she really left on this community, and for that we’re so grateful.”

The speakers’ comments sketched out a map of projects that wouldn’t have happened without Mann’s drive and knack for enlisting help: the renovation of Memorial Park, or the pickleball court st Laurn-Grove. For the city dog park that opened this year, Mann helped identify a state problem that would match the dollars raised toward the goal.

“She had an irrepressible spirit,” said John Diebel, who worked with her on the fundraising drive. “If I ever started to get the least bit discouraged, she had an optimistic word that kept me going.”

Hancock City Council member John Haeussler worked with Mann on the city’s recreation commission and the DDA, but more importantly, considered her a friend. He recalled a time when Mann called his daughter, Maggie, who was in middle school at the time, to help her paint some city benches. She could put any design on them she wanted, Mann told her.

“The beam on my daughter’s face,” Haeussler said. “Deb got the job done. And she made people happy doing it helping her .. It’s such a rare talent to be able to bring people in to do good things and make them enjoy it and feel good about themselves and good about the community, and that was Deb.”

She bettered lives on a smaller scale, too. Tracie Williams of OHM Advisors told the crowd about the time Mann called her and told her they were going to deliver hot chocolate, coffee and donuts to the Department of Public Works to thank them for plowing the roads.

“Who ever thanks them for the job they get paid to do?” Williams said. “Those are the things Deb did. She thanked people and made them feel so special.”

After the event ended, many people stopped by a table to write down memories of Mann that were collected to be shared with her family.

The Hancock Tori was chosen for the remembrance because “that was Deb’s baby,” City Manager Mary Babcock said. She remembered the magnetic smile and energy Mann brought when coming into the city offices.

“We were friends, coworkers, we shared everything,” she said. “And she has done more for the City of Hancock in the last couple of years than I could even put into words. She has started the turn — we’re turning into a new direction. And we need to make sure that we continue that legacy that Deb has started for the City of Hancock.”