Hope Manzo

July 2, 1934 - September 3, 2022
Hope  Manzo

Gifts & Memorial Donations

Our Dear Mother, Hope Carol Manzo peacefully passed away on Saturday, September 3, 2022,
at the age of 88. Mom was born on July 2, 1934, in Hackensack, New Jersey.
Mom was a devoted wife to our Father, Vincent Manzo, a Veteran of WWII serving in the Army
Air Corps., and they were married on October 10, 1954, at St. Frances Catholic Church, in
Hackensack, New Jersey. Together Hope and Vincent raised five children as they enjoyed 56
years of marriage.
Hope was a wonderful Mother who was always there when we needed her. She raised us as
Roman Catholics and made certain that we all received the Sacraments of our church: Baptism,
First Holy Communion, and Confirmation, and celebrated these important milestones in our
lives with family and friends that bring many fond memories. Mom never missed an
opportunity to educate us. She read to us and sang to us throughout our days growing up. She
taught us the importance of reading and music, and devoted time to the Solffeggio, a notational
system of the representation of musical notes. We all learned how to read music this way and
at a very early age. She also made sure we had access to musical instruments and that we
received additional instruction from our Grandparents, Emil and Rosina Parciasepe, Moms’
parents.
Mom and Dad purchased a farm in upstate New York in 1961. It was a special place for Mom, as
she had spent time during summers while vacationing with her family there, as they stayed
with family friends; the Kattenhorns. After their engagement, Vincent was invited to visit the
farm in 1953. After they were married in 1954, they visited the farm again while on their way to
Niagara Falls. During that visit, Dad asked Grandma Kattenhorn that should she ever want to
sell the farm, that she please let him know, as Mom and Dad both loved it there.
From 1961 until Dad retired in 1975, we enjoyed our summer vacations there. It was a
wonderful time, as the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in the County of Otsego is a beautiful
place. Our summers were filled with explorations of nature, science, and adventure. Those
were magical times for us children, and Mom and Dad made great sacrifices to provide these
life-enhancing experiences. We will never forget those amazing summers.
Aside from all of the holiday celebrations of Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve
and Day, and Easter, the Manzo Family always celebrated together each week. Family Day was
always Sunday at our home wherever we were, and that meant a big Sunday dinner with all of
our Grandparents and any relatives and friends that could attend. Mom and Dad instilled in us
that time spent with family is God’s greatest gift, and it was always looked forward to each
week. Sometimes we would all gather at our Grandparents, or at the home of Aunts and
Uncles, but mostly it was our home. The menu was “Italian inspired” in every way, with
homemade, home cooked dishes and desserts. Always pasta, meatballs, sausage (sometimes
we made our own Italian sausage), and the homemade sauce! Then Roast Beef, vegetables and
salad, and then a much needed break. A walk around the block, toss a ball around, cigar time
for Dad and the Uncles, a walk out to our backyard gazebo covered in grape vines. Then coffee and some delicious confections; Cannoli, Sfogliatella, Charlotte Russe, Pasticciotti, to name a few. Almost certainly a homemade apple pie and sometimes blueberry pie would be at hand.
Today I try to carry on this tradition each week here in Florida (albeit a somewhat muted
version) and have won-over many “new to the Manzo Family” members. For Mom and Dad, it
was always all about family.
Mom and Dad did venture into agriculture and raised cattle, farmed the land raising crops, had
a family milk cow, chickens, pigs, and had a successful business raising Organic Garlic. They had
quite a go at it, but winters were getting to be more and more difficult with the snow and cold,
so they became snowbirds and headed to Florida in the 1980’s.
Finding a place in Florida was much easier then. For a while, it was Kissimmee, Florida. Then
they relocated to New Port Richey and fell in love with Tall Pines at River Ridge, which became
their retirement home. They had many happy years together there.
As years passed, Dad developed Parkinson’s. Mom stayed by his side and cared for him day and
night. When he passed, Mom was heartbroken, 56 years together suddenly ending was
devastating for her. With family nearby, Mom was able to go on and although she was never
quite the same, she was inspirational to us. She stayed active in the church with the Legion of
Mary at St. James the Apostle Roman Catholic Church. About six years ago, she developed some
heart trouble and underwent bypass surgery. There were complications during surgery from
which she almost died, but was saved. Because Mom’s surgery lasted almost five hours longer
that originally intended, she suffered some cognitive issues, but was able to continue living on
her own. Several years later, it was found that Mom had developed an ascending aortic
aneurism and required immediate surgery. This surgery also ran more than four hours beyond
the time normally required, and left Mom with Vascular Dementia. Mom could no longer live by
herself.
Family did their best to help take care of Mom. She spent time with her Son Vincent and his
family in South Carolina. She lived for a year with me, her Son Henry and my family in New Port
Richey, and then her Daughter Andrea came from North Carolina to take care of her at Mom’s
villa in New Port Richey, but Mom’s condition continued to decline. She spent a year at Atria
Park of Bayonet Point/ Vitality, then was later moved to Elevated Estates of New Port Richey.
On Friday, August 26, 2022, Mom suffered a fall that caused an Intracranial Hemorrhage, from
which she was not able to recover. She passed peacefully Saturday morning, September 3, as I
held her hand at Marliere Hospice in New Port Richey.
Hope Carol Manzo is survived by her Sister Louise Gregg and her Husband Richard Gregg, of Norwich NY, her 3 Sons and 2 Daughters, 21 Grandchildren and 15 Great-Grandchildren as
follows: Hon. Henry A. Manzo and his Wife Kelly A. Manzo, and Grandsons Bryce, Branden and Vincent, of New Port Richey, Florida.  Andrea J. Jaeger and her Partner Douglas Parizek, of Denver, NC, Granddaughter Marissa Leib, Grandsons Jarrod Leib, and David Jaeger Christina L. Nicoletta and her Husband Nicholas Nicoletta, of Holly Springs, NC, and
Grandchildren Nadine Carter, Christine Sasser, Andrew Nicoletta, Jeremy Manzo, Katelyn Nicoletta, and Nicholas Nicoletta, Jr.  Vincent J. Manzo and his Wife Noelle Manzo, of Lancaster, SC, and Grandchildren Gina Hartley,  Anthony Manzo, Theresa Manzo, Abigail Leiby, Alexandria Eynon, and Christopher St. Hilaire Emil J. Manzo and his Wife Ann Marie Manzo, of Ellenton, Florida, and Grandsons Vincent and Blake Great-Grandchildren: Grant Robinson, Presley Hartley, Christian Hartley, Daniel Carter, Ella Carter, Jackson Sasser, Gabriella Sasser, Ava Nicoletta, and Isabella Nicoletta, Christopher Leiby, Liam Leiby, Roman
Eynon, Judah Eynon, and Ivy St. Hilaire


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  • December 24, 2023
    Vincent Manzo says:
    I am grateful to have known her even when she started declining, and I hope that my grandmother will rest in peace.