John R. Maness ’45

John R. Maness ’45 died Dec. 26, 2005. He was called into the ASTP program in 1943; later into the Infantry where he fought with the 78th Infantry Division where he fought across Belgium and Germany. He graduated from UNC–Chapel Hill in 1947 after a long hospitalization with frozen feet. He was president and CEO of his family business, Dixie Bedding Company, of which the Serta Mattress Co., was a division with plants in Greensboro, Augusta, Ga., Omaha, Nebraska, and Clear Lake, Iowa. He was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro. He served on the Serta National Board for over fifteen years and on many civic and philanthropic boards. He sold his company in 1990. He shared his love of golf with many friends and family and enjoyed his retirement in Greensboro, South Carolina, and Florida. He is survived by his wife Carolyn J. Maness, 4401 Woodsage Dr., Greensboro, N.C. 27410; two daughters, Mrs. Henry A. Dudley, Jr. of Chevy Chase, Md., and Miss Carolyn C. Maness of Raleigh, N.C.; his son-in-law Henry C. Dudley Jr.; and two grandchildren, Carolyn Dudley and Henry a. Dudley III.