Felipe David Mendoza, born March 5, 1970, to Felipe and Marjorie Mendoza at Fort Bragg, NC, passed away on March 5, 2021, in Austin due to complications of a stroke. Felipe was a lover of life, as he was a devoted father, a drummer, and an avid skier and rancher. Felipe married the love of his life Heather (Stephens) Mendoza, in 1999, and he was the father to Isabella, Caroline, Hunter and Spencer.
Felipe graduated from Plano Senior High School in 1988, where he was the Drum Captain. His passion for drumming extended beyond Plano to Purdue University, where he was a member of the drumline. After transferring to Texas Tech, Felipe graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He developed an early interest in entrepreneurship and was the founder of venture capital firm Aristos Ventures. He also attained six patents throughout his career. After receiving his MBA from Southern Methodist University, Felipe realized his passion for investing and technology, and he founded Aristos Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in tech companies. Felipe had a passion for mentoring, where he is remembered by those who went through the MBA program of SMU as a guest lecturer and someone who would listen and offer advice to young graduates.
Outside of work, Felipe was also an avid skier and rancher. He and his family would spend every winter together in Steamboat Springs, CO, where Felipe could be found with his children out on the slopes. Felipe had a love of ranching and would often spend time at the family ranch in Lohn, TX working on his fire truck.
Felipe was a wonderful and dedicated father, always present in his children’s lives, providing encouragement. He would light up every room with his constant smile and positive attitude. Felipe had the innate ability to make friends easily, and he was known for his dry sense of humor and loved to make others laugh. He also enjoyed coaching his kids’ sports teams and mentoring each child on the team.
He and his family were longtime residents of Dallas. He attended Highland Park Presbyterian Church, was active in the community, and was named Father of the Year by the YMCA. The family recently relocated to the Westlake area of Austin.
He is preceded in death by his parents Felipe and Marjorie Mendoza. He is survived by his wife of 21 years and their four children, his sisters Paula (Bill) Buchanan and Melinda (Mark) Vassil, his brother Patrick (Maureen) Mendoza, as well as various in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He is missed by his family and the countless others who were impacted by his warmth, humor and generosity.
A memorial service will be held at Highland Park Presbyterian Church at 4:00 pm on March 25. The family requests that donations be made to giving.smu.edu/schools-areas/cox and select a gift designation for SMU Business Plan Competition in lieu of flowers.
We would love for you to share stories or a fond memory via email to: [email protected]. This video memorial is specifically for his four children and not intended for public distribution.
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