Bert Manzato

Bert Manzato, 76, of Butler passed away Wednesday at VNA Inpatient Hospice after a brief illness.

Bert was born on May 20, 1938, in Milan, Italy, son of the late Giselda and Gustavo Manzato.

An avid student, Bert gained a classical education at Liceo Berchet in Milan, attended Sir George Williams College in Montreal, earned a law degree in Caracas, Venezuela, and received a degree in comparative law from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He studied insurance law in New York City and law again at the University of Miami in Florida.

He worked in the insurance field for many years in Miami.

He loved the complexities of language and spoke fluently in English, Italian, French and Spanish, which led him to travel widely in Europe as well as Greece, the Middle East, Russia, China and Southeast Asia. He always looked for opportunities to speak a new language.

In retirement, here in Butler, he enjoyed teaching Italian and Spanish to local groups and at Slippery Rock University's International Learning in Retirement Center where he was an active member. He was enthusiastic about cooking, reading, exercising and biking, and he was proud to be on stage at the Butler Little Theatre.

He is survived by his wife, Martha Lauffer Manzato; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Sally and Gary Ellison of Butler; his nephew, John Ellison and his wife, Sherri, and their daughter, Skylyn, of Sarver; and by his father-in-law, Albert M. Lauffer of Butler.

Manzato — Arrangements for Bert Manzato, who passed away Wednesday, July 30, 2014, are private by theYoung Funeral Home, Butler.For more information, go to www.youngfuneralhomes.com.