Amado Lauro Mendoza

Amado Mendoza passed away at his home on Sunday November 9, 2014 surrounded by his family. He was born in Riverside California to Ignacio and Tecla Mendoza on August 18, 1922 and was the first of ten children. Eventually the family moved to Merced, California and that is where he grew up until after World War II. Upon entering school he was the first to learn English and so he became the spokesman of the family for matters to be spoken in English which included purchasing a house for the family before entering the military.

During World War II he helped process soldiers to go overseas and then he served on a ship as a radio operator in the Pacific. He would remark that the scariest time for him was when the enemy planes would try to hit the ships and he could see them while he sat by the radio on the bridge of his ship. He went as far as the island of Okinawa when the war ended.

After returning to civilian life he worked with his father in the packaging department of Yosemite Cement Company until they called him into the office to help with clerical work that he had learned from high school. He had planned to go to college but his father died in 1946 and he had to help earn money for the family.

A few years later he transferred to Kaiser Cement Company in Cupertino, California to work in the accounting department, but he still managed to send money to his mother every month. He spent the rest of his over 40 year career there and promoted his way up to work for several vice presidents and he also became a vice president.

He married his sweetheart Florence Mariscal from Merced, California on September 5, 1948 and they lived in Santa Clara, California for the rest of their lives until Florence passed away on February 6, 2006.

Upon retirement, Amado and Florence enjoyed traveling by car to different states and seeing the US. He kept up his health by walking 5 miles a day well into his 80’s.

Amado was a very kind, generous, tall, strong man and he loved to speak admiringly to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Spanish when they were babies. He was dedicated to his family and will be forever missed and remembered.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Richard and Cuppy Mendoza of San Antonio, Texas; Daughter and Son-in-law Barbara and Chuck Reich of Santa Clara; Sisters Libby Enriquez of Merced, California, Nena Torres of Fresno, California and brother Fred Mendoza of Merced. He is also survived by Grandchildren Matthew Reich, Corinne Reich-Kline, Richard Mendoza, Kristina Mendoza-Tavera, Jeffrey Reich and thirteen Great-Grandchildren.

The graveside funeral service will follow at 1:30PM at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery 22555 Cristo Rey Drive, Los Altos, California 94024 (650)-428-3730.