John Leonard Mannix, a deeply loving father, devoted husband, fierce friend, and compassionate mentor, died on Nov. 13.
John gave Linda and Richard Mannix a run for their money when he entered their lives on May 4, 1968, in Worcester. Vibrant and energetic, with a larger-than-life personality, he ran circles around the two teachers. From the beginning, John was an incredibly thoughtful guy with a brilliant mind and quick wit who cared deeply about those around him.
After attending St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury and completing a PG year at Suffield Academy, John graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Business and went on to a successful 30-year career in the financial services industry.
What he enjoyed most wasn’t building wealth, however, but building relationships. He was always the first person to talk to a stranger on a plane and walk away with their life story, or find his way to the front row of a concert with a newfound friend. He loved making people laugh, stirring the pot to make a child snicker at the dinner table or setting off fireworks to make his kids smile. And more than anything, he loved to help people succeed – whether that was as a former board member at Nativity Prep, as a longtime board member for Education for Employment, or as a counselor to friends going through a job change or difficult time.
Married 12 years, he loved his wife Katie very deeply. He encouraged her to chase her dreams, always networking on her behalf. He celebrated her ambition and took any chance he could to talk about just how proud he was to be by her side. He once said he was proudest to see her walk across the stage to receive her master’s degree eight months pregnant with Jake, and the only moment he was prouder was when she opened her bookstore on the South Shore.
As a deeply devoted dad to Michael, Evan, Megan, Emily, and Jacob, there is nothing that John cared about more than his family. He liked to bust his kids out of elementary school on their birthdays to play hooky – feeding the sea lions with Evan at the aquarium or catching a ball game with Mike at Fenway. He loved traveling to Disney World and faraway countries — trekking across Ireland with a 2-year-old Jake in tow or flying to Italy with “the big three” to visit Megan while she was studying abroad. He wanted to show his kids the world in all its wonder and lay it at their feet – teaching them how to win a hand of poker, ski a mountain, or catch a fish before the ripe old age of 10.
John loved the outdoors. You could find him skiing black diamonds, deep sea fishing with his family off the coast of Massachusetts, or leading hikes in the New Hampshire mountains…even if that one time Emily got stuck in the mud. He lived for big hugs, tall tales, and belly laughs. He was happiest with a stogie staring out at the water, surrounded by the people that he loved. And he will be sorely missed.
John is survived by his wife Katie, five children, Michael, Evan, Megan, Emily, and Jacob (aka “little buddy”), his mom, Linda, his biological mom, Janet, and three half siblings.
His family will hold a memorial to honor John on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Rye Tavern in Plymouth. Friends and family are welcome to stop by between 5 to 8 p.m. that evening to offer their condolences.