Manfred W. Franitza

, 82, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones, April 8th, 2015 in Vero Beach, FL. Manfred, born in Berlin, Germany, moved to the United States in 1971 with his devoted wife, Margrit, and his two young daughters. Through honest hard work, commitment and his wife, Margrit, at his side, he successfully built up his own export-import company. Business colleagues and friends alike always commented, "Manfred is truly a man of his word." A strong entrepreneurial spirit described him well and he never shied away from a task or challenge. Outside of his family, he was passionate about many things, including sailing and traveling and anything historical to current events. He was a very generous man who did not give in a loud boisterous way, but mostly through quiet acts of giving to the next individual or good cause. His marriage to his beloved wife "Meggy" was the cornerstone of his life. He will be severely missed by his wife, and daughters, Urte and Karen, and their husbands Keith Goldstein and Knut Fenner along with his five grandchildren, Anja, Morgan, Tiemo, Connor and Henning and many friends. A memorial service will be held for the immediate family in Cold Spring Harbor, NY.