Maria Elena Mannarino

Maria Elena Mannarino originally from Victorio, Sicily in Italy, but most recently a resident of Cape Canaveral, Florida passed away at age ninety-two on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 with her family by her side. Maria was born on January 8, 1929. During the second world war Maria and her family moved from Sicily to Tripoli, the capital of Libya, where her family and many other Italian families fled during the war. Maria spent most of her childhood in Libya.

Maria was one of nine children in a large Sicilian family, and she is the last to pass on, making her death the end of a generation for her family. She has left her family here on earth but joins her siblings Rosina, Franco, Franca, Theresa, Jovanna, Yolanda, Menote, and Vittorio in heaven.

When Maria was 24 years old, she met John E. Mannarino, an American soldier who was stationed in Tripoli. She was introduced to John by her brother Vittorio, and they quickly fell in love. They were married and Maria left her family for America. Prior to her wedding day, her mother told her that she was moving to a whole different world. Indeed that was true. She left her family in Tripoli, and travelled to the United States with her new husband John. They settled in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Maria and John raised two daughters, Irene and Diane, in New Jersey. While mothering her daughters, Maria worked as a seamstress in a coat factory. She met other Italian women who were also raising children, and she enjoyed cooking and talking in Italian with them. Her best friend was Ida Lisanti. These two women created an extended family for their families through their friendship. They raised children together, and their friendship endured for decades.

Maria and John eventually left New Jersey and moved to South Florida to be closer to their older daughter Irene, who was having her first child. To say that Maria was a devoted grandmother is an understatement. She provided daycare for all three of her granddaughters, and for some time she cared for neighbors’ children, earning the title Nona of Sunrise.

Maria loved to take long walks. In every development she lived in, she always got to know the neighbors because of her walks around the neighborhood. She also enjoyed love stories and movies that had a happy ending. She would say, “That’s nice.” She enjoyed cooking for her family, and she loved having family around. She was so happy to live long enough to meet five great grandchildren.

Maria was fortunate to live such a long life. As a result, she is survived by three generations of loving family members. Maria is survived by daughter Irene Greene Murphy of Gardiner, Maine; daughter Diane Mannarino of Cape Canaveral, Florida; granddaughter Selina Greene Warren of Kingfield, Maine, her husband Jonathan, and great grandsons Lorenzo and Rocco; granddaughter Nicole White of Buxton Maine, her husband Bruce, great granddaughter Isabelle, and great grandson Sylis; granddaughter Ali Knoll of Jacksonville, Florida, her husband Alex, and great granddaughter Olivia Elena. Additionally, she is survived by her sister in law Lia Boatman and spouse Don Boatman in Lincoln California and many nieces and nephews in Florida, California, and Italy.

For all who wish to pay their respects and celebrate the life of Maria Mannarino, funeral services will be held at Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home, 1360 N. Courtenay Pkwy, Merritt Island, FL 32953, on Sunday, October 24, at 1:00 pm with a time of visitation to follow from 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm. A reception at Atlantic Gardens Recreation Room 8401 N Atlantic Avenue Cape Canaveral Fl 32920 will follow from 4:30 till 5:30 pm to pay respects to the family.