Obituary: Marianne Mannia of Woodside, Active in Elder Affair Issues

Marianne Mannia 

Oct 12, 1926 - Sept 19, 2013

Woodside

Marianne Mannia, 86, a retired nurse/educator, and San Mateo County resident for over sixty years, died Thursday September 19 at her home in Woodside, California. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday September 26 at 10:00 a.m. in St Pius X Church, 1100 Woodside Road, Redwood City. Entombment will be at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, Palo Alto

The Visitation Vigil will be held at Alta Mesa Funeral Home, 695 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, on Wednesday September 25 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Rosary recited at 7:00 p.m. 

Marianne was born in Utica, New York to Frances and Angelo DeStefano on October 12, 1926, earned a degree in Nursing from Crouse Irving in Syracuse, New York and moved to San Mateo County where she eventually earned her Master's Degree in Gerontology from Notre Dame De Namur University. 

She was married for 43 years to the late Bernard "Bernie" Mannia, a school principal, who died in 1993. 

Eventually moving from her career in nursing to her passion for education, Marianne opened Laurel Lane preschool in San Carlos, CA, which she owned and operated for years before retiring. However, Marianne did not stop at retirement; she took on an extremely active role in both state and local government related to elder affair issues. 

Marianne served as a Senior Senator representing San Mateo County on the California Senior Legislature, Board president of the Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County, Chairperson of the San Mateo County Paratransit Coordinating Council, and a trusted Advisor for Sequoia Hospital's Community Program. 

Marianne is preceded in death by her parents, Frances and Angelo DeStefano, her husband, Bernie Mannia and her brother, Victor DeStefano. Marianne is survived by her first cousins, Elizabeth Demers of Florida and Janice Barton of Minnesota, her godson and second cousin, Shawn Demers of Florida, her second cousins, Kristine Kelley and Mary Ann Curro of Minnesota and Brianna Carro. 

In Lieu of flowers, memorial donation may be to Pathways Hospice Foundation, Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County, the Cancer Society or a charitable organization of your choice.