Estelita Macatangay Mendoza was born in Santa Rita Aplaya, Batangas City on January 5, 1922. She was the second oldest of five children, and in lieu of going to school, she helped raise her younger sister. On August 8, 1939, she was married to Marcelino Mendoza, and they had five children – Melchor, Mercedes, Elena, Protacio, and another baby that died at birth. Sadly, her two oldest sons died during wartime, and her husband also died from a stomach ulcer in 1955, when he was 43 and she was 33 years old. She supported her remaining children by selling sinukmani and pancit, and she also opened a sari-sari store. Estelita became an SDA Christian soon after her daughter, Elena was converted, and the Loma Linda Filipino Church treasurer stated that she was always very generous with her money When she lived in the Philippines, she rotated between living with her daughter Elena’s family, her son Porting’s family, and her sisters, depending on where she felt she was needed. Estelita was able to come to the U.S. on November 26, 1986, and she initially got a job babysitting a little girl, but decided to help raise her two oldest great-grandchildren once they were born. She helped raise three generations of children, and her legacy lives on in every life she touched and every family member she helped care for. Estelita passed away in her sleep on July 10, 2018, and is survived by her daughter, Elena Magakat, seven grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.
