Eulalio "Lalo" C. Mendoza

Another member of the “Greatest Generation” has passed on. Eulalio “Lalo” C. Mendoza went to be with The Lord on January 18, 2011, at the age of 91 years, surrounded by his beloved wife, Angie, and their children. He passed away peacefully at home as a result of diabetes and other complications.

Lalo was born on December 14, 1919 in Zaragoza, Durango, Mexico. He entered the United States with his mother, Ladislada Mendoza, on April 18, 1924, when he was four years and four months old. He lived in San Bernardino for 87 years.

He went to work as a laborer for the Santa Fe Railroad on June 6, 1941, and returned to the Santa Fe after serving in the Army during WWII. After his stint in the military, he worked as a sheet metal pipefitter and retired at the age of 61 years on December 5, 1980 after 39 years of loyal service and a strong work ethic with the Santa Fe Railroad.

Lalo was inducted into the United States Army on December 6, 1943 and served as a Private First Class with the 177th Engineer Regiment. His military occupational specialty was carpenter construction. He became a citizen of the United States on July 3, 1944 when he was stationed in Amchitka, Alaska. He proudly served during WWII in Alaska, India, and Pakistan. He was awarded the American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and a Conduct Medal. He was honorably discharged on December 13, 1945.

On April 1, 1945 he married the love of his life, Angie Aldama, and their union produced seven children. Lalo was a hard-working man who built their house at 1038 W. 7th Street, where he and Angie raised their seven children. He worked two jobs to put his children through Catholic school and in his younger years he was active at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and a member of the Holy Name Society and both he and his wife were active with Cursillo and Marriage Encounter.

Lalo is survived by his wife of nearly 66 years, Angie, seven children, Rachel Clark and her husband, Ken, of San Bernardino, Cecilia Vasquez and her husband, Guadalupe, of Redlands, David Mendoza and his wife, Dianne, of Loma Linda, Martha Sack and her husband, Tim, of San Bernardino, Robert Mendoza and his wife, Cindy, of Colton, Danny Mendoza and his wife, Susan, of Highland, Kathy Jorge and her husband, David, of Grand Cayman Island; 21 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, two great-great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews who loved their uncle very much.

Although our father had no formal education, he had an armful of degrees --- a degree in Unconditional Love, a degree in Humility, a degree in Faithfulness; a degree in Generosity; a degree in Humor, a degree in Compassion; a degree in Respect, a degree in Obedience, and a Master’s degree in Faith. He was an inspiration to all who knew him and he always encouraged his children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews to communicate with each other, study hard, and to never give up.

Perhaps his nephew’s wife, Dana Diaz, said it best when upon hearing of dad’s passing, she wrote “Most of what I have learned about love over the years was from your family. Your Dad, and mom, have been the epitome of good and loving souls, inspiring all who know them to strive always to do their best”.

Fifteen years ago, shortly after dad’s only sister, Juana Diaz, passed away, he wrote a letter to his nephew, John Diaz, and that letter speaks volumes of our father, Lalo. In that letter, dad wrote “…continue to keep in touch and communicate with the family. Lots of times at a time like this, the family tends not to keep in touch with each other. So for no other reason may you continue to phone or drop a line at least to your brothers, sisters, and of course to your one and only tio on your mother’s side. Lack of communication within the family can really tear families apart.”

Heartfelt gratitude goes out to Dan Brazeau, Jana Schweppe-Herrera, and the entire staff at the Villas at San Bernardino for the outstanding and loving care they provided to our father the entire three years that he and our mother have lived there, but especially during these last few weeks of our father’s life. We have nothing but the highest praise for the administration and staff at the Villas.

Visitation and Rosary will take place on Wednesday, January 26, 2011, from 5 – 8 p.m., with the rosary beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Mt. View Mortuary, 570 East Highland Avenue, San Bernardino. Funeral Mass will take place on Thursday, January 27, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 1430 West Fifth Street, San Bernardino. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Lalo Mendoza may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 9213 Archibald Ave., Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730; the American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312, or to Mary’s Mercy Center, Inc., P. O. Box 7563, San Bernardino, Ca 92411.

Arrangements under the direction of Mountain View Mortuary, San Bernardino, CA.