IN MEMORY OF JOHN MANDES

On September 30, John Mandes, a long-time
member of the Tarbiyat Baha’i Community, passed
away after over 12 years of cancer. He was at
home when he passed, with his family around him
at the time.
John became a member of our community in 1972,
while touring the country with Up With People and
meeting some of our community members and
friends backstage after a perfromance in Santa
Fe. John was clear from the beginning about the
message of Baha’u’llah, and about the importance
of the Guardianship. He declared on the spot and
never waivered in his dedication to the Cause.
Over the course of the years John moved from place to place, and eventually found his calling
in teaching. His last position was at the College of the Desert in Palm Springs, CA. He loved his
work, and his students loved him. His classes always filled up first when registrations opened.
He was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, and had surgery to remove it. The surgery
was successful, but the cancer later reappeared elsewhere. His attitude was that it was simply a
condition of life, and one must deal with those conditions. It wasn’t a battle to be won or lost.
Marny and I went to Pennsylvania (Hershey) to fulfill John’s request to prepare his body for
burial and oversee the internment services according to Baha’i procedures. I prepared a small
pamphlet (which I e-mailed to the Baha’i Community earlier) which included statements about the
body and the spirit, and death, as well as the Prayer for the Departed. These were used in the
service. Jessica King and An Wine were able to drive up and join us for the service as well.
John’s family was very grateful for our presence, and took all of us in as part of their family. It
was clear this was something that completed their own relationship with John, as he was the
only one of six siblings to move away from the area. His family now knows who John’s “other
family” is and how much we loved him. Your prayers for John and his family are appreciated.
John will be deeply missed by all. —Ralph