Rosa A Mendoza

Rosa Alvarez Mendoza passed away peacefully on April 7, 2025, just three days after celebrating her 95th birthday. Born in Havana, Cuba, on April 4, 1930, she was the beloved daughter of Rafael Alvarez and Dolores Garrido.

Rosa received her early education in Cuba, alongside her sister Dolores (Lolo) and her brother Rafael (Rafa), later attending boarding schools in Philadelphia and Montreal for high school. In 1951, she married the love of her life, Jorge Gonzalez Mendoza.

In 1959, Rosa and Jorge left Cuba for Mexico in exile. Believing it would be temporary, Rosa wanted her young children—George, Dolores, Vivian, and Felipe—to learn English, so the family relocated to Miami in 1960. Sixty-five years later, the family remains proudly rooted there, having made Coral Gables their permanent home—and speaking English fluently.

Rosa lived and worked in Coral Gables for the remainder of her life. In 1964, while pregnant with her youngest child, Billy, she walked up and down Miracle Mile searching for work. Nobody was interested—until she stepped into Jae’s Jewelers, where the owner, George Hornik, hired her on the spot. Rosa remained there for 45 years, becoming a beloved and familiar face in the store.

She was an incredible cook, especially known for her flan and her famous chocolate mousse. Rosa had a lifelong passion for Canasta, often playing at The Big Five Club with her cousins and a circle of cherished friends. She also loved to travel, visiting places like Spain, Italy, Argentina, Guatemala, France, New York, Las Vegas, and many more—often with her daughters and close friends by her side.

Rosa’s greatest joy in life was her family, especially her three grandchildren—Will, Samantha, and Mia—the children of her son Billy and her beloved daughter-in-law Ronnette. She was a strong, loving, and deeply family-oriented matriarch who treasured her many nieces, nephews, and the lifelong friends of her children, whom she welcomed as her own.

Her family takes comfort in knowing Rosa was a devout Catholic with unwavering faith.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated for the eternal rest of her soul at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Coral Gables, Florida, on April 24, 2025, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, Donations in Rosa’s honor may be made to St. Jude Childrens Hospital or a charity of your choice.