John J. Manyak, age 102 years old, of Vero Beach. Florida passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Saturday evening December 13, 2025.
He was born in Douglas, Massachusetts in January 1923 to Elizabeth and Joseph Manyak. He was married to Janet for a happy and adventurous 76 years. He has four children, David; Susan; Nancy; and James and eight grandchildren, Michael; Anna; Jaclyn; Malcolm; Emilie; Becky; Wesley; and Beth, and numerous great-grandchildren, all of whom loved their father, grandfather and great-grandfather. And he loved them.
John was a decorated WWII Army Veteran, having served in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre in Okinawa until his honorable discharge from active duty in September1946. He achieved the rank of First Lieutenant and held the post of staff officer for Okinawa base command where he was responsible for unit training for over 14,000 troops. Thereafter, he continued his service in the Army Reserves until 1953.
John achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Math and Economics from Brown University after WWII. He then attended Harvard Business School receiving an MBA. After graduating, he and his wife Janet purchased a home in Little Silver, New Jersey. John held numerous executive positions for various major New York City companies before forming his own electronics manufacturing company in New Jersey in 1972. He sold this company upon his retirement, building a new home in Massachusetts and acquiring a winter home in Florida, where he could continue his love of fresh water and saltwater fishing with his family.
According to his wishes, his remains will be returned to his home until his wife joins him in Heaven. Thereafter, they both will be interred at the Veteran’s cemetery where he will be buried with military honors and his immediate family will gather for a memorial ceremony.