Uldarico Mendoza Almirol

December 20, 1933 – August 23, 2023

Uldarico Mendoza Almirol, 89, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. He was surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and wife of 69 years.

Uldarico was born on December 20, 1933 in Ermita, Manila, Philippines. Rico was the sixth of eight children in a family of modest means. During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, his family returned to their hometown of Bitalag, Bacnotan, La Union, where he spent most of his childhood.

In his formative years, Rico made his way back to Manila where he worked as an electrician. It was here where he met his wife, Corazon Garados Galan, who was a student at the time. A shy, young gentleman, Rico was fully enamored the moment he laid eyes on Cora. He followed her around, working his way into her friend group, until he finally mustered up the courage to woo her. After a sweet and earnest courtship, they were married on May 30, 1954.

That same year, Rico was lured by the promise of the American dream and enlisted in the United States Navy. Over the course of his tenure, he toured to countries such as Hong Kong, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Netherlands, and Pakistan, starting as a Navy Steward and eventually advancing to the role of Disbursing Clerk. He would intermittently visit Cora while he was on leave and their family began to grow. By 1962, Rico and Cora had three children — Romualdo, Rhodora, and Reuben — and they all immigrated to the United States. Eventually, their family blossomed to six children with the additions of Roxanne, Rowelind, and Rossana. A typical military family, they were stationed in locations all over the U.S. and Philippines, primarily living in Subic Bay, Philippines; Wilmington, Long Beach in California; and Washington, D.C. In 1968, after years of moving wherever the Navy called, the family members who were born in the Philippines were proudly naturalized as U.S. citizens. Rico remained in the Navy until 1974, when he honorably retired after 22 years of service.

Following his time in the Navy, Rico and his family settled in the Bay Area, where he took on a job as a Postal Carrier for the United States Post Office. A committed company person and skilled navigator, Rico excelled in his career and worked there for 18 years.

As a faithful servant of God and member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ), Rico was a pioneer of the Locale of San Jose, which was founded in 1977. He held multiple offices in the church, including Head Deacon, Light of Salvation Officer, Finance Auditor, and Buklod President. His dedication to the church helped contribute to the growth of the locale, where he was respected by many of the brethren.

Rico was the type of man who made each of his six children and 18 grandchildren feel like they were his favorite. Whatever his family needed, he made it a point to drop everything and dedicate all his time and energy to supporting them in every way possible.

His family remembers him as a silly man who joked all the time with his signature, dry sense of humor. He loved driving, family vacations, long road trips, and always kept his favorite chocolates and coffee cakes within arm’s reach to sneakily give to his grandchildren. Above all, he loved nothing more than to see his whole family gathered together — a household filled with conversation and laughter always gave him the utmost joy.

A true symbol of American prosperity and opportunity, Rico was a patriotic sailor, humble Christian, and dedicated worker. Mostly, he was a generous patriarch who embodied a family-first mentality and instilled a love for family as the primary foundation for his children and grandchildren.

Uldarico is survived by four generations of family who will ceaselessly remember him as their beloved brother, “Popsie,” “Papa,” and “Grandpa.” He will be dearly missed but his love, impact, and legacy will live on in them forever.