John "Jack" Manhire

With deep sorrow and immense gratitude for a life well lived, we announce the passing of John Theodore Manhire, known to all as Jack, on January 28, 2025, at the age of 77. He died peacefully in Bryan, Texas, surrounded by his loving family.

Jack was born on May 9, 1947, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and spent the first 29 years of his life there before making his home in Northern Virginia, Orlando, Florida, and finally Bryan, Texas. He was a man of deep intellect and boundless curiosity, always seeking knowledge and understanding, while standing in awe and wonder at God’s creation.

A proud graduate of the inaugural class of Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School in Metuchen, NJ, Jack went on to earn a B.S. in Mathematics from Villanova University. His lifelong passion for learning led him to pursue multiple master’s degrees in Industrial Engineering, Mental Health Counseling, and Theology, culminating in a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Barry University.

After receiving an NROTC scholarship, Jack was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy, where he proudly served his country. In what would become one of the greatest joys of his life, he married Diane Marie Mayer the very next day, on May 10, 1969, beginning a love story that would span more than 55 years.

After serving in the Navy, Jack found his calling in education, teaching high school chemistry before moving into a successful career in defense contracting. Never one to be confined by convention, he later founded several successful businesses, including Windermere Preparatory School in Central Florida, which stands as a lasting testament to his passion for education.

In 2013, Jack answered yet another call, receiving Holy Orders as a Catholic Deacon in the Maronite Eparchy of Brooklyn and later in the Diocese of Austin. In his final years, he served at St. Mary’s Catholic Center in College Station, Texas, ministering to the students and community of Texas A&M University.

Jack was a man of profound faith with a deep devotion to the Theotokos, especially Our Lady of Lourdes and her Holy Rosary. He also held a special devotion to Saint Charbel, whose intercession he sought throughout his diaconate.

To know Jack was to know kindness, intelligence, and an unstoppable drive to create. Whether launching new businesses, designing a better way to build a backyard goat shelter, or simply seeking out the most scenic road to travel, his mind never stopped exploring the world’s possibilities. He loved telling stories, celebrating life’s milestones, and finding joy in simple pleasures. Always a kid at heart, you’d frequently find him at the local Dairy Queen, sharing a chocolate-dipped cone with one of his grandkids.

He was, as he would often say, “a man who took the scenic route”—both literally and figuratively. If there was a more picturesque or meaningful way to do something, Jack would find it. He embraced life as an adventure, always choosing the road that led to beauty, truth, and goodness.

Jack is survived by his devoted wife, Diane; his three children, Jack, Mark, and Denise; fifteen grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, John V. and Josephine D. Manhire, and his beloved Grandma Bertha Romagna.

A viewing will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at Memorial Funeral Chapel in College Station (2901 Texas Avenue, South), beginning at 5 p.m., with a Rosary at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will follow on Monday, February 3, 2025 at 3 p.m., at St. Mary’s historic church (the old church) in College Station.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jack’s honor to St. Mary’s Catholic Center (https://www.aggiecatholic.org/donate).

“Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.”