Teaching math to high school and college students and working for IBM in sales and marketing allowed Chuck Mandt to do what he really loved: make music.
During a consulting job that took him to Nashville, Tenn., for a couple of years, he worked during the day and played the clubs at night, said James Schneider, a friend.
“He could play anything, classical, gospel, country, but he could really play jazz,” Mr. Schneider said. “Listening to him play was like Oscar Peterson meets McCoy Tyner.”
For the past 12 years, Charles Lewis Mandt, called Chuck by all who knew him, battled multiple forms of cancer. Most recently, in 2010 he was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He was treated and seemed to be recovering well, said Carol "Ruth" Branscome Mandt, his wife. He had a doctor’s appointment on Feb. 15 and everything looked good, she said.
Mr. Mandt, of Lithia Springs, died suddenly Feb. 17 at the home he shared with his wife of 47 years. He was 69. His body was cremated and a memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist of Douglasville. Cremation Society of Georgia is in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Mandt started playing the piano at a young age, in his hometown of Charleston, W. Va. His mother, who majored in music while in college, insisted her sons learn to play, Mr. Schneider said.
He graduated from West Virginia State College, and paid his way through school by playing at clubs, said Charles “Charlie” L. Mandt II, a son who lives in Lithia Springs. After college, he joined the Army and served in Vietnam. Once his military service was complete, he earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Stetson University, in DeLand, Fla. He went on to work on a doctorate in math, in Dover, Del., where he also taught high school math, but was recruited by IBM before he finished his dissertation, Mrs. Mandt said.
It was through his job at IBM that the family moved to Atlanta in the 1990s. He worked for the company 17 years before retiring and becoming a programming consultant. All the while, he played the piano whenever and wherever he could, his wife said.
He loved playing so much that he wrote books about it, Mr. Schneider said. He wanted to help other musicians with their technique and music theory, so he held free workshops. Even when he was so sick he could barely get out of bed, he didn’t cancel gigs he’d committed to.
“I’d carry his stuff and he’d be there,” said Mr. Schneider, who plays bass and piano. “So when some of these fellow musicians of mine can’t make a gig because they have a stuffy nose or something, I think about Chuck. The guy was amazing.”
One of Mr. Mandt's most recent accomplishments was being accepted to the Steinway Artist roster in 2008. The roster includes musicians like Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall and Billy Joel and requires that artists possess extraordinary musical talent.
While music took up a good bit of Mr. Mandt’s extra time, he never missed out on being a father to his children, said his son and namesake.
“He was there for all of my major milestones and accomplishments,” Charlie Mandt said of his father. “He was there for all of us.”
Mr. Mandt is also survived by another son, Marc Mandt of Smyrna; daughters, Julie Mandt and Lynn Mandt both of Lithia Springs; brother, Bob Mandt, of Cross Lanes, W. Va.; and six grandchildren.
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