The Philadelphia Gay News reported that John Mandes, former PGN editor and former Out Front Colorado news editor, died on September 30, 2008 at age 55, after a 12 year battle with cancer. John was a family member of the Theatre Group family having directed productions of Porcelain in 1998 and The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me in 1999. John was also remembered for directing a production of The Last Session in Denver. Most of those cast members joined Theatre Group in our production in 2008.

John, a native of Hershey, Penn., was born on June 30, 1953. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 and underwent a mastectomy, putting his cancer in remission. Mandes moved to Palm Springs from Denver in 2000, taking a position as professor of communication at the College of the Desert in Palm Springs where he received the Outstanding Faculty of the Year award in 2003.

Johns’ cancer resurfaced and spread when he was in Palm Springs. He returned to Hershey in 2006.

Memorial contributions can be made to College of the Desert – John Mandes Memorial Scholarship Fund, 415 W. Granada Ave., Hershey, PA 17033.