Robert William Mancuso

Robert “Bobby” W. Mancuso was born on April 24th, 1934 in Hastings, PA. He was the youngest of 9 children, with parents who both emigrated from Sicily. After graduating from high school, he moved to Southern California, where his family had relocated. Bob was a lifelong learner. He attended Mira Costa College and then San Diego State University where he completed a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He also earned a Juris Doctor degree (JD). As a chemist and regulatory compliance officer, he worked for several companies, including the Salk Institute, ICN, Desalination Systems, and Ferndale Labs.

Bob was a very quiet and reserved person, and enjoyed reading, photography, listening to music, and playing the piano. One of his favorite pieces to play was Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. More than almost anything, he loved nature. He and his brother, Mike, used to go trout fishing and camping in the Sierras. His favorite spot was Minaret Falls, in the Mammoth Lakes area, and he started a tradition of taking our family (and soon our extended family) camping there in the summer.

Even though he was formally trained as a scientist, Bob had a taste for alternative perspectives. At various points in his life, he studied hypnosis, iridology, life after death, Eastern spirituality, and non-traditional medicine long before any of them had reached mainstream culture.

Bob was passionate about gardening. He grew an impressive variety in his backyard, including macadamia nuts, pineapple, guava, and passion fruit, not to mention the more “normal” fruits for California – all kinds of citrus, loquats, apricots, mulberries, peaches, and plums. He also loved his orchids and bromeliads. It’s an understatement to say he had a green thumb.

Like any good Sicilian, Bob loved to cook and eat. He was famous for his homemade sausage and his “whatever’s in the fridge” soups, as well as his smoked turkey. He was adventurous in the kitchen, and that (almost) always paid off. He also had the Mancuso sweet tooth, particularly for ice cream, chocolate cake, and every kind of candy.

Bob and Rosemary met at a dance at the Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica and were married in Los Angeles. Soon after, they moved to Del Mar and then bought their current home in Solana Beach. They lived in Mission Viejo for a few years, and Farmington Hills, Michigan much later, but they ultimately ended up back at their place in Solana Beach.

Later in life, Bob and Rosemary enjoyed traveling, visiting their grandchildren, and making use of their timeshares. In particular, Bob loved visiting Kauai, HI and its beautiful gardens. He also enjoyed spending time every year at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido.

When Bob began having more trouble with congestive heart failure, he and Rosemary continued their adventures but stayed closer to home. Noon concerts at the Athenaeum in La Jolla were on their regular itinerary, as were staycations in La Jolla and other local destinations. They explored wineries and restaurants in Temecula and the San Pascual Valley, took walks in Quail Gardens, and often admired the view at the San Elijo Lagoon.

One striking characteristic of Bob was that he always welcomed people into his home and fed them. When anyone arrived on his doorstep (family or not), the first question was, “Did you eat?” – Usually heard as “Dja-eat?” Even though he was warm in generosity and kind in spirit, he wasn’t exactly effusive with praise. You knew you had really hit the ball out of the park when he said, “Ya done good.”

Bob passed away peacefully on July 9th at his home at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife Rosemary, four children and their spouses, and 5 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Joseph’s Indian School at https://give.stjo.org/donate , Hospice of the North Coast https://hospicenorthcoast.org/donate/donation-form/ , or St. James Mission Circle http://www.missioncircle.com/donations/

A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, August 31st at 1:00pm at St. James Catholic Church, 625 S. Nardo, Solana Beach, 92075.

Immediately following the mass, we will have a Celebration of Life for Bob at La Colonia Community Center, 715 Valley Avenue, Solana Beach, 92075.

Burial will be on Monday, September 2nd at 11am at Mission San Luis Rey, Oceanside.