Tucson officer from Sahuarita laid to rest

Peter Mannino was laid to rest on Thursday under drizzly skies, but the light he left in this world will never be blotted out by the clouds.

A string of speakers in a packed Sahuarita church drew laughter and tears as they talked about the special relationship each had with the nine-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department.

Mannino, 42, died Sunday night when his motorcycle collided with a vehicle making a left turn onto Benson Highway. He was headed home from work and was wearing a helmet. The investigation is ongoing.

Mannino’s 16-year-old son Vincent wore an ROTC uniform as he spoke about the man he said loved Disneyland and “was just a great father.”

Mannino was a single dad raising his son when he met his wife, DeAnna, who adopted Vincent.

“When he met my mom, that was the best part of my life and his life,” Vincent said.

DeAnna later gave birth to the couple’s second son, Johnny, who is nearly 2.

Mannino, an Air Force veteran, is also survived by his mother and two sisters.

The couple lived in Sahuarita and attended Desert View Baptist Church, where uniformed police officers crowded in for the standing-room-only service.

Other friends and family recounted how Mannino loved his boys and his wife, had a strong work ethic, a devotion to duty and “was a patriot.”

One fellow officer evoked laughter when he told how the hulking Mannino was reduced to “mushy” sweet talk when his wife called his cell phone.

Pastor Ron Carter and several other speakers talked about Mannino’s strong faith.

“Mostly, he loved the Lord,” one friend said.

Mannino is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Tucson.