Julia G. Menendez

Our mom Julia Gledys Menndez passed away on Sunday May 27, 2012 surrounded by her two sons, friends and our wonderful caregivers in her San Antonio home after a six-year struggle with Alzheimer's. Julia was born in Artemisa, Cuba on March 16, 1932.

She grew up on a farm with her nurturing parents Julia and Francisco and brothers Rolando, Raul and Carlos, where they raised livestock, produced dairy products, cultivated vegetables and many tropical fruits. Her parents immigrated to Cuba from La Palma, Canary Islands.

Insisting that her daughter receive the best education available in Cuba, our grandmother sent mom to primary and finishing school in Havana run by the Catholic Church. A talented oil painter in her youth, she later graduated from La Normal de Kindergarten with a degree in primary education.

At age 20 Julia married our father, Jorge Alberto Menndez. In 1968 Julia and her two young sons left Cuba for temporary exile in Mexico City before rejoining her husband in the United States.

The family subsequently settled in San Antonio, Texas. At 49, Julia become widowed and went to work in retail at Foley's (now Macy's) in San Antonio's North Star Mall. There she worked tirelessly for twenty-two years winning awards repeatedly for being the top salesperson. She gained a loyal clientele because of her honesty, charisma and flawless sense of style. The tragic separation from her parents as well as her friends and her country, followed by the sudden death of her husband was at times very difficult for mom to bear.

But despite these great loses she endured by actively embracing life. She found great joy in dancing, music concerts, theater, cooking, card games and visiting her sons. And she loved making deserts for her friends when they were ill or needed a lift.

We will never forget our mother's generosity, loyalty, elegance and sense of style. In honor of our mom's beautiful strong will to survive, we want to extend our hopeful embrace to those trying to overcome Alzheimer's.

We love you Mom and you will be in our hearts forever.

Julia was preceded in death by husband, Dr. Jorge A. Menndez; parents, Francisco Jimenez and Julia Perez; brothers, Carlos and Raul and nephew, Raul Jimnez Jr.

She is survived by her sons, Dr. Jorge L. Menndez and Carlos A. Menndez; brother, Rolando Jimnez and wife, Migdalia; half sister, Teresita Jimenez; nephews, Ruben; Rolando and Manolo Jimenez; sister-in-law, Olga Rodriguez; and brother-in-law, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez.

MEMORIAL SERVICE

FRIDAY

JUNE 8, 2012

10:30AM

ST. ANTHONY DE PADUA CATHOLIC CHURCH

102 LORENZ ROAD

INTERMENT SERVICES TO BE PRIVATE. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Julia G. Menendez Memorial Alzheimer's Fund online at: http://act.alz.org/site/TR?pxfid=42685&pg=fund&fr_id=1060 Or by mail to: The Alzheimer's Association PO Box 96011 Washington, DC 20090