Aug 26, 1946 — Aug 26, 2026
Dr. Michael “Mike” Steven John Mancina passed away surrounded by his family on his 80th birthday, August 26, 2026 in Kansas City, Kansas.
Michael was born on August 26, 1946 to Francis “Frank” A. Mancina and Alexia “Lexie” J. Harter in Virginia, Minnesota. He was raised in nearby Eveleth, Minnesota along with four siblings who preceded him in death including, Winifred “Win” Carrier, Antonia “Toni” Genalo, Patrick “Pat” Mancina and Jane Mancina. The grandson of Italian immigrants, and son of two University of Chicago graduates, his father, a regional business leader, and his mother, a loving homemaker, Mike valued education, hard work, and family from a young age. Mike excelled in his studies at Eveleth Senior High School where he played football, hockey, ran track, and was Class President. There he met his wife of 35 years, Maureen (McDermott) Mancina and graduated in 1964. He went on to attend St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1968.
It was at this time that Michael decided that his true career path was in medicine, so the couple moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where Michael enrolled in a Master’s of Science in Anatomy program at The University of Michigan during the Fall term of 1968. While studying, he worked as an instructor of chemistry and mathematics at a local school in nearby Walkerville, MI from 1969-1971. Michael married Maureen on December 19th, 1970 in Chagrin Falls, Ohio and their son Joel was born in 1971. Michael completed his anatomy studies and graduated from the University of Michigan two years later in 1973.
Michael enrolled in Medical School at the University of Minnesota in 1973. The family moved Minneapolis and then onto Duluth, Minnesota for a portion of the Medical School training. Michael’s daughter Katherine “Kate” was born in 1975 in Duluth. Michael graduated from medical school on June 3, 1977 and went on to complete his Medical Residency in Internal Medicine at The University of Iowa in Iowa City. Afterward, Michael and his family moved to Carmel, Indiana where he completed a Fellowship in Cardiology at The Krannert Institute of Cardiology at Indiana University and St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. There he learned from the pioneers of balloon coronary angioplasty and learned the skills to be an interventional cardiologist. While there, his son Peter was born in 1981. Soon after, Michael and his family moved to Sioux City, Iowa where he was the Director of Cardiovascular Medicine at St. Luke’s Hospital and started his first solo practice.
After two years, the family moved to Prairie Village, Kansas where Michael was in practice with various medical groups and was a solo medical provider across the Kansas City metro area; Ottawa, Burlington, Leavenworth, Lansing, Kansas; and in Butler, Missouri.
Michael continued to help patients with his interventional and bedside skills, stress echocardiography, 2-D echocardiography and doppler. He worked with cardiac sonographers who scanned patients’ hearts in his medical office and in hospitals, and he set up networks across Kansas City, surrounding towns, and nationwide. To advance the use of new technology in cardiology and remote medicine, he opened a business called Sononet, which deployed echocardiographers with highly portable scanners to scan the hearts of patients who had been negatively impacted by a popular diet drug.
Michael was generous with his time and loved teaching sonographers, cath lab and interventional teams, nurses, and those that he worked with daily. For many years, this included two of his children, Joel and Kate, both who are medical professionals.
In total, Michael practiced medicine in the Kansas City area for 42 years and loved every minute of it. Cardiology was his passion, vocation, and mission – he simply loved helping people become healthier and make their lives better.
From this work Michael met Marjorie Doronio with whom he spent many loving years of companionship, exploring Kansas City, traveling the country, enjoying celebrations with the Filipino Society, gathering with family and friends often, and helping patients improve their health. They also made a medical mission trip to the Philippines and traveled to Italy.
Michael found joy in spending time with his children and grandchildren, gathering with family members and friends. He loved visiting National Parks and giving his family the opportunity to see places and do things he didn’t have the opportunity to see and do in his own childhood.
Michael was an avid sports fan, especially of the Royals and Chiefs, and there always seemed to be a game on the radio or television within earshot. He deeply appreciated art, the craftsmanship of beautiful antiques, the music of Elvis Presley, Ben E. King, Bob Dylan, and Louis Armstrong, the significance of historical sites and museums, and of course, great food – especially Italian food.
Michael was a devout Catholic and spread God’s love in the world in small acts of kindness and in the many personal sacrifices he made for others. Michael lived a truly full and rich life.
He is survived by his partner, Marjorie Doronio; his children, Joel (Rumi); Kate (Byron); and Peter. He is also survived by many grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and cousins.
A small private family Catholic mass and celebration of life is planned in September in Overland Park, KS.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like any donations to go to The American Diabetes Association and the Kansas City Hospice House.
Obituary published by Johnson County Funeral Chapel & Memorial Gardens.
