Richard Knoll Mannal

February 20, 1942 - June 17, 2026

On June 17, 2026, Dr. Richard Knoll Mannal, beloved husband, father, grandfather, physician, and friend, passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico, surrounded by his loving family. He was 84 years old.

Rich was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on February 20, 1942, the son of Eleanor (Diamond) Mannal and Clifford Mannal. He graduated from Conestoga High School in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1960. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Amherst College in 1964, a master’s degree in radiation biology from the University of Rochester in 1965, and his Medical Doctor degree from Albany Medical College in 1969.

In 1970, Rich married the love of his life, Karen Mannal, a nurse practitioner. Their marriage of fifty-six years was a remarkable partnership and the foundation of a family built on love, laughter, loyalty, and faith.

After completing his orthopedic surgery residency at Albany Medical College, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy. He was stationed in Pensacola, Florida, where he and Karen developed a love for sailing.

In 1976, Rich and Karen moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where they raised their four children, Christopher, Patrick, Brian, and Anne. In 1989, the Mannal family relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Rich and Karen worked at Lovelace Medical Center. In 1998, Rich and Karen returned to Cape Cod, where they started a practice together and spent countless weekends with friends at the Hyannis Yacht Club. In 2020, they moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rich was a gifted orthopedic surgeon whose skill, judgment, and compassion changed countless lives. He was the first surgeon at Cape Cod Hospital to successfully perform a total knee replacement, reflecting both his technical ability and his willingness to help advance the care available to his community. He gave freely of his time and talents and often provided medical care to those in need when others would not. His life and work were guided by integrity, generosity, humility, and kindness.

Rich’s Catholic faith was a steady and meaningful part of his life. A longtime member of Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville, Massachusetts, he participated in Cursillo, taught CCD, and formed lasting friendships with many congregants and priests. Most recently, he was a parishioner of St. Therese of the Little Flower in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Outside of medicine, Rich loved hiking, snow skiing, sailing, and simply being on the water. He started the youth soccer league in Barnstable, built sets for the Barnstable Summer Family Theatre, and later served on the board of Sandia Prep. He was an accomplished woodworker, a ham radio operator, and a bread maker. He made unforgettable blueberry muffins and found great joy in working with his hands and sharing what he knew with others. He was also an avid traveler whose curiosity and sense of adventure took him around the world multiple times. He possessed the uncommon ability to nap almost anywhere, perhaps because he had a rare gift for making himself at home wherever he was.

Rich loved conversation and had a gentlemanly way of making people feel welcome, valued, and at ease. He was as honest as the day is long, with ethics beyond reproach. He was wise, kind, loyal, and faithful. He was known for his quick wit and the occasional inappropriate joke, though never with any intent to offend. He appreciated humor, friendship, and the simple pleasure of gathering with people he loved.

He never met a dog he did not like, and few dogs failed to return the affection. He believed that all dogs go to heaven, and his family takes comfort in imagining him reunited with the beloved canine companions who went before him, including Charger, Saufley, Sadie, Ginger, Angel, Callie, Tucker, Molly, and Fenway. He leaves behind Sunny and Luna.

Rich had a special relationship with his son Brian’s dog, Sampson, who was born blind. When Brian adopted Sampson, Rich enlisted and paid for an experienced dog trainer to work with Sampson, teaching him the skills he needed to navigate the world without sight. In a poignant twist of fate, Sampson crossed the rainbow bridge on the very same day as Rich.

Above all else, Rich loved his family. He was a devoted husband, a proud father, and an adoring grandfather. Despite his busy schedule, he found time to attend his children’s sports games, concerts, and plays. In the final years of his life, he courageously faced both cancer and Parkinson’s disease. Even as his body failed him, he met each day with extraordinary dignity, grace, and strength, remaining until the end the same gentle soul and kind-hearted man his family and friends had always known.

Rich was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Eleanor Mannal, and by his brother, Robert H. Mannal of Ashland, Massachusetts, who was not only his brother but also his lifelong friend.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Karen Mannal; his children, Christopher Mannal and his wife, Shiuli, of Los Angeles, California; Dr. Patrick Mannal and his wife, Maureen, of Hopkinton, New Hampshire; Brian Richard Mannal and his wife, Sara, of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Anne Mannal of Los Angeles, California. He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren, Emma, Benjamin Richard, Mina, Kian, Charlotte, Margaret, Corinne, and Oliver; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews, all of whom enjoyed hearing his loud voice and heartfelt laugh.

A funeral Mass will be held in his honor at Our Lady of Victory Church in Centerville, Massachusetts, on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. Following the Mass, Dr. Richard K. Mannal will be interred with military honors at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, Massachusetts.