WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- There was not an open seat inside St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Williamsport as hundreds of people showed up for Fr. John Manno's funeral. Fr. Manno died last week at the age of 78.
"He's going to be missed so much by so many. He really impacted so many people," Joan Dunkleberger said.
Bishop Joseph Bambara celebrated the Mass. The bishop knew Fr. Manno for more than 50 years, as did some ladies who went to school with Fr. Manno.
"He was a friend to everybody but especially to us because we grew up with him," Nancy Hauk said.
"He was a good friend and I knew him quite a long time," Phyllis McInnis said.
Fr. Manno led worship services at St. Joseph the Worker parish for more than 12 years. He retired from Our Lady of Lourdes church in Montoursville in 2016. He remained chaplain of the Williamsport Bureau of Fire.
"I never saw the man without a smile on his face," Chief Todd Winder said.
Todd Winder is Chief of Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department. He knew Fr. Manno from his involvement in the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride.
"He fit in with everyone. It didn't matter what your background was. It didn't matter your social status, your economic status, he could talk to anybody," Winder said.
Fr. Manno's beloved Harley Davidson Fred was on display outside the church and was part of the procession to the cemetery.
"We're going to send him off as well as we can as the biker community," Tank Baird said.
Baird is president of the 9/11 Memorial Motorcycle Ride. He and several other bikers joined the procession from the church to Wildwood Cemetery in Williamsport.
"The epitome of respect for motorcyclists is to pay him respect like this," Baird said.
Baird said something is in the works to honor Fr. Manno at this year's ride.