John Don Mangiagli

John Don Mangiagli passed away peacefully on March 6th, 2024, surrounded by his loved ones. He was born in the Bronx, New York, on November 15th, 1937, to Oswald and Jean Mangiagli. John's life was all about music, love, and joy.

Growing up in the Bronx, John found joy in singing early on.  He would sing in the alleyways of the tenement buildings where people would throw him coins.  He would then purchase sheet music to learn more songs.  At 15, he moved to California with his family, where his love for music continued to grow.

He began writing his own songs, creating classics like "Rock and Roll Guitar" and "The Gamma Goochee." Alongside his music journey, he worked as a dental technician with his brother Joe until Joe preceded him in death.  

 In 1973, John married Joanne, the love of his life.  They made their family home in Upland, where during the holidays and any other occasion, music became a family affair.  

John loved more than just music; he enjoyed deep-sea fishing, traveling to Mexico, Hawaii and the Caribbean with family and friends and playing his very favorite card game, gin rummy.

In 2015, John discovered that he had an audience in the Rockabilly world, which led to performances in Las Vegas, New Orleans, England and Spain.  Being on stage was a dream come true for him. 

He leaves behind his wife Joanne of 50 years, daughter Diana, son Mark, daughter-in-law Nicole, and granddaughter Francesca (Frankie).

John’s infectious laughter, spirit, love, and music will always stay in our hearts.   His favorite saying was “Keep on rockin”!  We'll miss him so much, but the memories we shared will be treasured forever.

Private funeral services will be held at Forest Lawn.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Arthritis Foundation at arthritis.org