Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York 2450 North Wading River Rd Wading River, NY 11792 or Life Center of Long Island 1767 Deer Park Ave. Deer Park, NY 11729

Charles Mangano Sr, born July 16, 1922 was just about to celebrate his 100th birthday when he passed away on June 25, 2022. His wife, Louise, 98 years old in only 1 more week after him, celebrated 78 years of marriage with him this past January. They met when she was only 12 years old and he was just 14 years old. My dad was smitten immediately. They met on a picnic on the grounds of the orphanage where Charles was raised at the Nazareth Trading School in Farmingdale, N.Y.. After Charles’ mother died, his father place him and his 2 brothers, Nicky and Nino and 1 sister, Sophie, in orphanages. Charles was the oldest at 9 years old. At 16 years old when Charles aged out of the orphanage and abandoned by his father, Charles found himself homeless and showed up at the doorstep of my mother’s home. Her parents, unwilling to take him in because of the inappropriateness with daughters in the house, found him a furnished room and he lived there, finding a job, working and put himself through two years of college and joined the Army Air Corps climbing the ranks to Major. My mother’s family became my father’s family. They loved him and he was devoted to them. While he trained as an Ariel Gunner he was about to ship out on a mission with a group of his dearest friends when the army called him to teach and train men. He wrote a training manual that was used for many years. He later found out that all his friends were killed on that mission which broke his heart and was evident every time he spoke about it.

Some of my father’s medals are: 1- Meritorious Unit Commendation 2- American Campaign Medal 3-European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal 4-World War II Victory Medal 5-Army Of Occupation Medal & Germany Clasp 6-Expert Badge and Carbine Bar 7-Sharpshooter Badge & Machine Gun Bar & Pistol Bar 8- Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII honorable service lapel button WWII

Charles was only 21 years old when he married my mother. They went on to have 4 children, 4 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren 4 step-grandchildren and 7 step-great grandchildren. Charles never allowed the very many trials, tragedies and struggles of his youth define who he was. He was a very happy soul. He had gratitude! He was kindness, he was love. He was always humming or singing a song. He could be heard praying during the middle of the night thanking God for his life, praying the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet. He spoke of how the Blessed Mother of God was so instrumental in protecting him and being a constant companion to him throughout his life. He was and will always be a beautiful soul. He loved his own children with a fatherly love he never received. He loved his wife with kindness and respect well beyond the example he witnessed from his own father who was abusive to his mother. His devotion to God was real. His respect and love for the Holy Catholic Church was true. We thank you Dad for all you taught us, and for the example you always have been. We love you Dad. We will miss him beyond measure, we will talk of him often, we will carry on his legacy of love and deep faith, we will pray for him for as long as we live and we will look forward to the day we will live amongst the angels and saints with him in paradise.

Reposing at Cure of Ars R.C. Church, Merrick, LI on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 from 1:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Celebration of the Liturgy of Christian Burial Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 12:00 pm at Cure of Ars R.C. Church. Interment to follow at St. John Nepomucene Cemetery, Bohemia, LI. Arrangements entrusted to The Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home. www.chapeyfamily.com