John Mansueto

John Frederick Mansueto, 71, of San Mateo, CA, died after a brief illness on January 5th, 2015. Lovingly known as Ferd, Fritz, or Fred, he was the son of Dr. Biagio Mansueto and Mary Carr Mansueto. He is survived by his sister Alice Frederick, nephew Peter Frederick (Carla), niece Mary Lipham (Adam), friend Elena Kulakoff, as well as many extended family and friends. From Batavia, NY, he was a graduate of Batavia High School '61 and the University of Michigan '65. A talented linguist who spoke 7 languages, he studied Russian in the US Navy and had a distinguished career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation until his retirement in 1999. A lover of nature and the outdoors (especially the San Francisco Bay area and the Adirondack Mountains in upstate NY), he kept pet snakes and tortoises and was passionate about the environment. An exercise enthusiast, he excelled at sea kayaking, distance running, cycling, and hiking. In his own words reflecting on his life, he wrote, "I have found that I still enjoy the exact same things I enjoyed as a kid growing up in Batavia--the outdoors, physical activity, nature and yes, to a certain extent a carefree life undergirded and nourished in a positive way by simple pleasures...So I consider myself fortunate that I never 'evolved' into a materialistic state as it seems many around me have to one degree or another. My rewards lie elsewhere, they are great, and I am happy."