We are here today to honor the life of John Joseph Manfredi. “Bud” as his childhood friends endearingly knew him. “Mr. Motorola” his co-workers fondly referred to him as. “Uncle Bud” he was to his nieces and nephews alike. “Daddy” is what his two daughters and wife will forever refer to him as, but, for Tyler and I…..he is Grandpa. And we’ll miss Grandpa. Bud was a man with the care and compassion to spend many of his retired years, helping erect a memorial in honor of fallen Connecticut law enforcement officers he had NEVER EVEN met. Why? Because he had some new found spare time and it was the right thing to do. Mr. Motorola began grooming his sales prowess as a child. He had the gumption to walk into the local Waterbury paint store EVERY DAY after school for a year…….and ask the lady behind the counter for polka dot paint ONLY to be rejected and come back the next day……..and the next day……and the next day. Simply refusing to take no for an answer, knowing full well polka dot paint didn’t exist and never would. A true salesman he was. If anyone was going to persuade someone to put polka dots, in paint, it was him. Uncle Bud never missed a First Communion, Birthday or Graduation party. But, not because he liked the free beer and shrimp cocktail. He was there to check in on you. How’s school going?, he’d say. How’s the job going? He had his own PLAN for you……and you’d BETTER toe the line. You knew the punishments your parents were capable of doling out. You weren’t quite sure what Uncle Bud was capable of, so the best move was to stay on the strait and narrow until next year’s talk. Daddy? Daddy was the rock. The planets revolve around the Sun in much the same fashion that Joyce, Jan and Joan moved around Bud. Each one had their own course yet gravitated together to form a family. What a beautiful family. Grandpa has probably told most of you just how flawless Tyler and I are. It’s ALL true! He thought the world of us and we thought the world of him. Grandpa was a role model in every sense of the word. We have a lot of work to do if we want to fill his shoes. But even if we fell short……..Grandpa would tell you we were perfect anyway. But none the less we all gather to honor the same man. A man who will be remembered for the eternal love he showed….for his family, friends, his faith and his work…...because these were his passions. We should all feel so lucky to be on the receiving end of his love. And we loved him back.