Maureen Carrie Mendoza

COLUMBIA - A Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Maureen Genevieve Carrie Mendoza, 59, at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, November 4, 2015, at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The Rosary will be recited at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2015, with visitation following until 8:00 p.m., at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel. Final Commendation and Farewell Prayers will be in the St. Joseph Catholic Church Memorial Gardens, immediately following the Memorial Mass on Wednesday. Mrs. Mendoza passed away Tuesday, October 27, 2015. The daughter of the late Malcolm McDonald Carrie and Gene Rae Wile Carrie, Maureen was born in Jacksonville, FL, but spent the majority of her life in Columbia. She graduated from Cardinal Newman High School and Midlands Technical College. Her flair for fashion and design dovetailed duties at Rackes Women’s Store, where she became office manager. Through this job Maureen met the love of her life, Rick Mendoza, when he was in law school and they immediately fell in love. After two years of dating and engagement, they married on September 10, 1983. Soon after their first child was born, Maureen went to work in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee office of Geoff Levy. She continued working there when Joy Goodwin became trustee, and Maureen had 28 happy years in the office with many friendships she enjoyed for the rest of her life. At the same time, Maureen enjoyed participating with Rick in his career-related activities and community service (e.g., the Sisters of Charity Foundation of SC), all the while volunteering at their children’s schools, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, and in the community. She was happiest serving and giving of herself to family, friends, and all others; she loved people. Maureen continuously gave of herself in countless ways. She enjoyed hosting family and friends in the home, and she was an amazing cook. She devoted herself to her children no matter what she had to sacrifice for herself. Maureen loved the Lord with her whole being, and was a committed Eucharistic Minister at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, finding time to take communion to the sick and elderly. When Maureen did make time for her own interests, she loved to exercise and could be found regularly at spin classes at Hampton Hill Athletic Club in the early hours of the morning. Surviving are her beloved husband, Rick (Julio E., Jr.) Mendoza, her daughter and son-in-law Jessica and Christian Nicolosi of Plainfield, NJ, her son Drew Mendoza of Charleston, sister Rosina Brown of Cayce, brother and sister-in-law Donald and Linda Carrie of Birmingham, AL, sister-in-law and husband Bonnie and Jim Byrd of Lexington, nephews Alexander Carrie of Boulder, CO, and Konnor Carrie of Birmingham, AL, nephew and wife Drs. Ken and Heather Byrd of Augusta, GA, nieces and husbands Liz and Steve Lemmond and Julie and Adam Price of Lexington, and countless other cherished family members and treasured friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o St. Joseph Catholic Church, 3600 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29205.