Christine Rose Mendez

Rosa Cristina Irene Gonzalez Mendez left her worldly family on July 14, 2022. She was born on November 22, 1929, in San German, Oriente, Cuba to the late Manuel de Jesus Gonzalez and Emilia Rodriguez de Gonzalez.

Rosa Cristina’s family moved to Villa Gonzalez, Dominican Republic, before returning to Cuba age twelve. She graduated from Tecnológico Ceiba del Agua, Havana, Cuba, with an emphasis in bookkeeping. She emigrated to New York in September 1950, where she met and fell in-love with her cousin’s fiancée’s best friend. On July 2, 1954, she married that handsome, former Navy Seabee, Hilton Mendez, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Rosa and Hilton had five children and lived in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Puerto Rico before settling in Hollywood, Florida. Their final move to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, gave them much pleasure and many good friends.

Known by her friends as "Rose Christine”, she was a homemaker and devout Catholic. She was a long-time member of the Legion of Mary and an active participant in Spanish mass music services at Nativity Catholic Church, Hollywood, Florida and the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, Palm Beach Gardens. In their retirement years, Rosa Cristina and Hilton loved to travel. They were fortunate to travel to Alaska, Argentina, France, Portugal, Ireland, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

Rosa Cristina was predeceased by her husband Hilton and their first child, Hilton Charles. She is survived by her siblings, Francisco Manuel Gonzalez, Havana, Cuba and Mirta de la Carridad Gonzalez, Doral, Florida. She leaves behind four daughters, Yvonne Mendez, Denise Smith (Bryan), Eileen Mendez and Darlene Lowery (David) all of Tallahassee, Florida; grandchildren Christa Webb (Patrick), Andrew Smith (Sara), Anthony Ulbrandt (Alison), Taylor Cusack (Brendan), Brooke Monceaux, Aidan Lowery and Taggart Lowery; and great-grandchildren Isabella, Dylan, Parker, Oliver, Tessa Kate, Henry, and Theodore.

A Roman Catholic Mass will be held on Tuesday, July 26th, at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, 9999 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, 33410, with a private interment following.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howard-quattlebaum.com for the Mendez family.