Benedict Salvadore Maniscalco

1941 - 2024

MANISCALCO, Benedict Salvadore

Dr. Benedict Salvadore Maniscalco, a life-long resident of Tampa, passed away peacefully on November 27, 2024. Dr. Maniscalco was born in Tampa on June 9, 1941. He grew up surrounded by his immediate and extended multi-generational family in Ybor City, where his grandfather and other ancestors settled after immigrating from Sicily. He reminisced about growing up speaking English at school, Spanish on the street, and Sicilian in the house. He and his family were members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church. These early years shaped his unwavering commitment to family and community. Dr. Maniscalco graduated from Tampa's Jefferson High School in 1959. While in high school, he was president of the Florida District of Key Club and was a distinguished trumpet player. He sat first chair in the all-state band. He was honored as a member of the Jefferson High School Hall of Fame for his achievements, community service, and contributions to society. Dr. Maniscalco attended the University of Florida where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1963. Then, in 1967, he obtained his doctor of medicine degree from Duke University School of Medicine. While at Duke, he met his wife of 56 years, Bette Busch of Champaign, Illinois, who was a student in the graduate school of physical therapy. They were married on June 22,1968. Dr. Maniscalco served as a Major in the 9th Medical Detachment, U.S. Army, and was stationed at Wharton Barracks in Heilbronn, West Germany from 1969-1973. While living in Germany, he and Bette enjoyed exploring Europe (especially its cheese and wine), created enduring friendships, and welcomed their first two children, Michael and Laura. Upon completion of his military service, Dr. Maniscalco completed his post graduate training in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease at Emory University affiliated hospitals in Atlanta, Georgia, where he and Bette welcomed their third child, Jennifer. In 1975, they settled in Tampa, as it was always Dr. Maniscalco's intention to return to and serve his hometown. There, they welcomed their fourth child, Lisa, in 1977. Over the next five decades, while a practicing physician, Dr. Maniscalco and his wife provided their children with unconditional love and support, travelled much of the world, and delighted in spending time with their grandchildren. Dr. Maniscalco truly loved being a physician and professional mentor. Many of his colleagues and patients became life-long friends. He was a tireless advocate for patients and fought, often at great personal cost, to put the patient above other competing interests in the field of medicine. Dr. Maniscalco's leadership, perseverance, and innovative vision established Tampa as a center of excellence in cardiac care. For two decades, he served as the Director of St. Joseph's Hospital's Division of Cardiology and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. In 1987, he founded the hospital's Heart Institute, Florida's first center for comprehensive cardiovascular care, and served as its Director until 1997. Throughout this time, he also held leadership appointments within several professional associations and committees, including serving as Governor of the Florida Chapter of the American College of Cardiology from 1992-1996. One of Dr. Maniscalco's greatest passions was serving as Chairman of ForHearts Worldwide from 2003-2021. This global non-profit organization has saved more than 18,000 lives in over 20 countries by providing implantable cardiovascular devices and lifelong follow-up care to people in need. In 2019, Dr. Maniscalco was the first recipient of the Global Humanitarian Award bestowed by the Heart Rhythm Society, an international nonprofit organization focused on improving patient care for cardiac rhythm disorders. The award recognized Dr. Maniscalco's commitment to humanitarian work to improve heart rhythm care and increase accessibility to care in underserved patient populations. Dr. Maniscalco was a beloved and devoted son, brother, husband, father, uncle, cousin, grandfather, and friend. His family's well-being and happiness were his highest priority, and they were his greatest pride, well beyond any professional accolade. And whenever the moment presented itself, he never missed an opportunity to highlight his wife, Bette, as the wind beneath his wings. He is preceded in death by his father, Benedetto Maniscalco, his mother, Mary Miceli Maniscalco, his sister, Providence Josephine Maniscalco, and his brother Anthony Frank Maniscalco. He is survived by his loving wife, Bette Ann Busch Maniscalco, his four children and their spouses, Michael Anthony Maniscalco and Lucille Liem, Laura Lowell Maniscalco DeLise and Damon DeLise, Jennifer Leah Maniscalco, and Lisa Ann Maniscalco and Alethia "Joey" Curtis; his beloved grandchildren Isabella Rose DeLise, Nicholas Lowell DeLise, Alexander Ray DeLise, Revathi Elisabeth Dhanireddy, Benjamin Robert Maniscalco, Lily Liem Maniscalco, Arika Lia Dhanireddy, Kirthi Miceli Dhanireddy, and Callan Curtis Maniscalco; and sister-in-law, Catherine Ann Maniscalco; nephew, Stephen Anthony Maniscalco; and his wife, Jeanette Maniscalco; and nephew, Andrew Michael Maniscalco. To honor Dr. Maniscalco's legacy, in lieu of flowers, his family kindly requests that you consider a donation in his memory to ForHearts Worldwide (www.forhearts.org).

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