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Richard "Rich" Ruffner Mandt, Jr., age 63, of Sherrills Ford, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2018. He was born on August 1, 1954 in Bourne, Massachusetts, 564th United States Air Force Hospital, Otis Air Force Base, to the late Richard Ruffner Mandt, Sr. and Jeanne Marie Auer Mandt. Rich attended Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee and graduated from Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina with a Bachelor of Science – Geology in June 1984. He was a Geologist and highway construction inspector in North Carolina and Virginia. He was employed with Professional Service Industries (PSI) Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina (2006-2007), KCI Technologies Inc., Hunt Valley, Maryland (1998-2006), Catlin Engineers and Scientists, Wilmington, North Carolina (1996-1998), and Virginia Department of Transportation, Fairfax and Manassas, Virginia (1987-1995). Rich received the Eagle Scout, which he was very proud of, Huntsville (Alabama) Times Carrier of the Year, YMCA Scuba Diving Certification, and was a member of Sigma Gamma Epsilon (National Earth Science Honor Society). He attended Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church, Mooresville, and loved to camp, bass fish, spelunk, backpack, rappel, and write poetry. Rich was a loving son and brother who faithfully cared for his parents in their later years and he was a loyal friend to many. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, John Frederick Mandt. He is survived by brother, David William Mandt; sister in law, Patricia Mandt Prather; brothers in law, Jay Robert Greenwell and Clyde Prather III; nieces: Jennifer Allene Mandt Merritt, Sarah Margaret Mandt, Lillian Kate Prather; and nephew: David Ruffner Mandt. Funeral services will be held at 3 PM, Sunday, May 20, 2018, at the Cavin-Cook Funeral Home Chapel, Mooresville, with Pastor Dave Keck officiating. Burial will follow in Glenwood Memorial Park, Mooresville. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior to the service at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Boy Scouts of America (www.scouting.org) or Alzheimer's Association Western Carolina, 4600 Park Road, Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28209 (www.alz.org). Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Mandt family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.

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Richard 'Rich' Ruffner Mandt

August 1, 1954 - May 17, 2018