This was last fall.  John was chopping down half of a full grown persimmon tree when Esterina was not home. I asked him to be careful and if this was Esterina-approved. He gave me his usual smile and said “it’s okay!”, while tossing persimmons over the fence to our side, always sharing his fruits of labour from his garden.  I snapped these photos while we shared a few chuckles.  His cheery spirit will not be forgotten. 

We have had the privilege of being John’s neighbour for over 40 years. Words cannot express how much joy he has brought into our lives and what our friendship means to us. Our deepest condolences to Esterina, Nadia, Mauro and family. Thinking of you always.

These photos are from last fall.  John was chopping down a tall persimmon tree while Esterina wasn’t home.  I was telling him to be careful and asked if this was Esterina-approved. He flashed his smile like he always did, and said “it’s okay!” while tossing his fruit over the fence to us. I took a few photos while sharing a few chuckles. His cheery spirit will not be forgotten. 

We have had the privilege of being John’s neighbour for 40+ years. Words cannot express how much joy he brought into our lives. We will keep these memories forever. Our deepest condolences to Esterina, Nadia, Mauro and family. Thinking of you.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.  Our sincere condolences.  From Anna and Domenic Macera

Esterina, Nadia, Mauro and Family

We are so saddened to hear the news of John’s passing. His cheery personality, love of life, and friendly smile will be remembered with great fondness. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. 
Condolences for your loss. 

Simonetta and Family

Our sincere Condolences  to all the family.

Sincere condolences to the Manzi family, our thoughts and prayers are with you

Giovanni always treated and showed respect to myself and my family

God Bless you all

Ida Gabriele and Family

To Zia Esterina and family,
Take care of yourself and your family during this difficult time, "Sending you our condolences on the loss of Zio Giovanni." "Our thoughts are with you during this time of mourning.
Da la famiglia, Enrico, Mary, Carlo and Ashton D'Onofrio.

Cara Esterina,
ricordando l'amicizia che c'era tra il tuo caro Marito e Raffaele,
porgo le mie piu' sentite condoglianze, a Te, ai tuoi Figli e le rispettive Famglie, e agli altri Familiari tutti, con un caloroso abbraccio,
Giuseppina De Luca

News of Uncle John's passing gave me pause; I know he will be dearly missed and I offer my sincerest condolences to the Manzi family.  Uncle John was one of the last surviving connections to an era which is increasingly distant- a self-made immigrant that left his home land for a better life, unafraid of hard work, and an unshakable belief in the importance of family above all else.  His memories of life in Bagnoli so many years ago, and his stories of all the people he knew carry the history of our roots and offer touchstones for us today- for me the stories he shared with me help preserve my connection to Carlo and to my father which would otherwise fade  with the ruthless passage of time.  I'm certain there are many people who's lives were touched by Uncle John that share this sentiment.  While it's never easy to say good bye to a loved one, I'll take a moment to give thanks to Uncle John, for a life fully-lived, and a job well done.   He shows us all how to live honestly, lovingly, and selflessly so that those who follow us have good foundations and great opportunity for the future.

My sincere sympathy,
Gianluca

Dear Manzi Family, Our deepest condolences for the passing of your beautiful soul.  He was truly a great man, not once have i seen him without a smile and He always spoke with gracious words of encouragement,  making me feel wanted and important. He was a Good and Kind Man and will leave an empty spot in many hearts. Dear John I know God will grant you serenity in his loving home. I will miss your spirit always and will never forget you! your Friend Vito & Teresa Ialungo

So sad to hear this terrible news  A great man and a great neighbour ...My heartfelt condolences to all the family ...May he rest in peace...Danny Zavarise

OBITUARY

Giovanni Manzi

12 September, 1931 – 28 August, 2024

Bell & Burnaby Funeral Chapel

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