Bobby Len Vann

Bobby Len Vann of Manchester, TN passed away at the age of 78 years old on Saturday February 3rd, 2024, at 12:35am at Nashville Center for Rehabilitation and Healing after a brief illness at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Bobby, known as daddy to his only daughter, Papaw to his grandchildren and great-grandson, Bubba to many lifelong friends who were more like family and business associates, will be dearly missed.

Bobby was born in Huntsville, Alabama on September 5, 1945, to the late Robert Douglas Vann, Jr., and Nora “Kathleen” Vann (Tucker)

Bobby always loved football where he played for the “Junior Optimists” in 1959 and where they were the Huntsville City Champions. He graduated from Butler High School, “Class of 1963” and played percussion in the band and was voted “The Biggest Flirt” in the who’s who of his senior class.

Upon graduation Bobby met his first wife Marsha “Muffy” Futch (Vann), also of Huntsville, AL, on a Senior Graduation trip to Panama City Beach, Florida where they eventually married in Trenton, Georgia and welcomed their only child Ashley Lynn Vann. Bobby was working a computer tech job when he announced he would become a car salesman. During this time, he was also an Army Reservist who was in a tech position and operated landing crafts for troop training in water to land exercises.

Bobby and Muffy moved the family to Sarasota, Florida when he was in automotive sales for 12 years and rose quickly in his skills and titles where he then went into business for himself opening Bobby Vann Chevrolet in 1981 in Manchester, Tennessee. He served his community for 40 years with brands including Buick, Oldsmobile, and GMC.

Bobby was a member and had served as President of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce where he enjoyed supporting his community, along with automotive groups where he enjoyed the business aspects of the automotive business as well as the comradery that they also offered, resulting in many good times and great memories.

After retiring, Bobby has enjoyed the last 20 years boating, hunting, golfing and being an avid University of Alabama football fan and supporter attending games yearly for over 30 years. He loved a great meal and a good martini, laughing and spending time with family and friends. He always made time for those he cared about the most and was always there when needed without waiver.

The last 2 ½ years he spent quality time with his daughter, Ashley, traveling, grilling out and hanging out with neighbors, sitting at home watching the birds and squirrels having coffee and conversation in the morning going over the weather, daily news, or things that they often laughed about with his quick wit. You could find him driving the backroads up Monteagle Mountain with the top down in his 1969 Cutlass Oldsmobile, which he found humor in having “her” longer than both of his wives put together. He was a man of right is right, wrong is wrong, and gray area is dangerous. He was stern and strong-willed but had a softer loving supportive side that made him one of a kind.

In addition to his parents, Bobby is preceded in death by his only sibling, Jerry Wayne Vann, and his first wife Marsha “Muffy” Futch (Vann).

He is survived by his only daughter, Ashley Vann Kingston of Manchester, TN, two grandchildren Nathan Ryan Haas (Tanya) of Sarasota, FL and Aleczandrea “Allie” Kaitland Kingston (Jack) of Hermitage, TN, and one great-grandson Levi Vann Haas.

In accordance with Bobby’s final wishes he was cremated, and his family will be having a “Celebration of Life” on Saturday March 23, 2024, from 12:00pm to 3:00pm at Willowbrook Golf Club at Boskey’s Grill located at 6751 McMinnville Hwy Manchester, TN 37355.

In Lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as this was a charity very close to his heart.

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