Mark Allen Mendenhall

A visitation for Mark will be held Thursday, December 30, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Oak Hill Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 300 Curtner Ave, San Jose, CA 95125, followed by a funeral service from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Mark Allen Mendenhall 69 of Santa Clara, California passed away on 11/30/21 suddenly and unexpectedly from presumed cardiac failure.

Mark was born in Missouri on May 7th, 1952. He graduated from the International School of Bangkok in Thailand. Following in his father’s footsteps Mark enlisted in the US Marine Corps. While stationed in Oahu, Hawaii he met his beautiful wife Pamela Marie LaSchiava and married July 18th, 1973.

After proudly serving his country, Mark went on to become a journeyman mechanic and settled in Los Angeles, California where he enjoyed playing on the golden beaches, hang gliding and taking his daughters to Disneyland. Always cherishing wide open spaces, he decided to move his family to Pixley, California in 1979, buying a small ranch and continuing to work as a heavy duty equipment mechanic in agriculture. His ranch was his pride and joy and often the subject of many conversations, even speaking about it up to the last week of his final breath. He loved to cultivate vegetable gardens and care for his livestock but would often boast of his “world famous” ranch parties, “second to the playboy mansion itself!” He could have coined the phrase “not here for a long time, just here for a good time."

He moved his family to Tulare, California, where he proudly became owner and operator of the second Mendenhall’s Tractor Repair. After adding three more kids to his brood Mark moved to San Jose and worked at Santa Clara Valley Medical and Phil Phiner Refrigeration where he worked all over the bay area. Mark's kids were his world. He enjoyed taking them camping, fishing and water skiing. No matter the situation he always put his kids first. He was their self-proclaimed Peter Pan and they were his lost boys, with the exception of his second daughter who was his Wendy. He never wanted to “grow old” and vowed to stay a kid forever. Of all his adventures and achievements, to him …. His kids and grandkids were the Greatest of them all.

Mark is survived by his wife Pamela and his children Marcia Monteleone, Tammy (Ryan) Dunehew, Janica Mendenhall, Christopher (Jamie) Mendenhall and Virginia Mendenhall. His Grandkids Lauren Dunehew, Isaac, Elijah, Ezekiel and Noah Carabajal, Dani Marie Cervantes, Samatha Rebolo, Josia, Azlan and Madison Bravo. His long term girlfriend Linda Rice and his siblings Charlene Golitz, Bruce (Carolyn) Mendenhall, Dennis Devore, Darrell (Debbie) Devore, Sandra, Steven (Rochelle) Mendenhall, Glen (Denisha) Mendenhall, Lorna (Larry) Rodgers and Todd (Valerie) Mendenhall. As well as several fabulous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Lauren Mendenhall, Anna Lee Hurt and Paula Hunt, his granddaughter Jasmine Bravo, his brother Gary Mendenhall and Sister in law Stephanie “Cher” Devore.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oakhillfuneral.com for the Mendenhall family.