Michael Shawn Mahneke of Goleta, Owner of Mahneke Motors, 1946-2026
Noozhawk
October 12, 2026
Goleta lost a familiar name this week. Mike Mahneke, who owned Mahneke Motors, passed away Sept. 10 at 81 after complications from pneumonia. Born in Chicago in 1946, he came to Santa Barbara as a teenager when his father's job brought the family west, then served in the U.S. Marines before building a life here.
If you ever needed a repair, a straight answer, or just a hand, Mike was the kind of small-town business owner this stretch of the 805 quietly runs on. His shop wasn't a chain; it was a neighbor. That's the Goleta we still recognize.
Noozhawk shared the news, and it's worth pausing over. Our condolences go out to his family, friends, and everyone who knew him. He'll be missed.
This summary was written by AI based on the original article from Noozhawk.
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NoozhawkPublished
October 12, 2026
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