A Gift From the Heart: Alumnus honors mother with scholarship fund
With his passing in February, alumnus Franco Mancini '61 made a significant gift to establish a scholarship in honor of his late mother. Mancini credited his mother, Lilia, for instilling in him a love of education, "She sincerely believed that with a good education, only then can anyone realize a happy and fulfilled life." Mr. Mancini's generous bequest will establish the Lilia Mancini Endowed Scholarship Fund at SHC and will benefit countless students for generations to come. "This was truly a gift from the heart," said Director of School Advancement John Vigo '81.
Mancini was known by his peers for his dedication, passion and commitment to service. After graduating from Sacred Heart, Mancini attended San Francisco City College before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force where he served for three years. Upon returning stateside, he served as a substitute teacher at a local grammar school and went on to receive his bachelor's from San Francisco State University and master's of public administration from Golden Gate University. He served as an administrative executive in the 9th Circuit Judicial Court of Appeals until retirement.
A lifelong learner with strong organizational and analytical skills, Franco was admired and respected by his colleagues, judges and legal professionals with whom he worked. "Anyone he worked with just adored Franco," said close friend Lia Smith. "He was pleasant, efficient and had the talent to take on a variety of important projects. Anything Franco was curious about, he became an expert in."
Mancini also led an engaged civic life and closely followed local politics. As a passionate San Francisco resident and Portola District native, he was a regular at community and city commission meetings. He was a driving force behind Friends of McLaren Park, a neighborhood group dedicated to the revitalization and stewardship of San Francisco's second-largest park.
Franco's legacy of generosity and service will live on through the establishment of the endowed scholarship. Vigo shares, "This fund will be among our largest endowments and allow many deserving young people to realize the dream of a quality, Catholic education."
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