Mary R Mendoza

According to Abuelito Ysidoro's documentation, she was born in Rosedale Kansas.

Mom came from a family of 13. She was the 3rd child born into the family. Our grandparents worked as farm-workers and followed the crops, that is why she was born in Kansas.

She met Dad in Nebraska. At this time we think that she may have met Dad through her father but it has not been confirmed yet. They met, fell in love and were married, much to the dismay of her parents. When this happened I am sure that Abuelito was in a lot of trouble. In time both grandparents came to love Dad. He was 10 years older than Mom and very handsome, at least Mom and I thought that he was, as we looked back at some of his pictures in his younger years. Our grandparents (mom's parents) settled in Napa, Ca. Abuelita felt the need to grow roots so that our aunts and uncles could become educated. They could not have picked a more beautiful City.

Through this marriage our parents had 4 living children. Joe Mendoza was born on 18 Aug 1945 Aurora (Sam) Garza, born 27 July 1948, Rudy Mendoza was born 21 Aug 1951 and the youngest, Manuel Mendoza was born on 22 May 1954.

The cities I remember living in were Rio Vista, Brentwood, and Farmington before our parents decided to plant their roots in French Camp, Ca. It is a very small town outside the big city of Stockton. Our parents owned their first home there and we grew up in the country going to French Camp Elementary School and graduating from Manteca Union High School. Joe, myself and Rudy moved to the big city of Stockton, staying close to the nest, while Manuel joined the Air Force and made it all the way to Germany. He, Kathy and Jodie lived in Germany and eventually came home and settled in French Camp. Mom & Dad lived in French Camp for many years. We all had beautiful children. Joe had four, I had two, Rudy had four and Manuel had four.

Even though Mom and Dad worked long hard hours, he for Santa Fe Railroad and she for Tillie Lewis Foods, they managed to help us in raising our children. I became a single parent and would not have been able to work and support myself and Raquel if it had not been for my parents. When Raquel was ill and her dad could not watch her while I worked, there was mom & dad watching her while I did a week-end at the hospital. When Mom & Dad retired from their jobs they would pick up Raquel from school if she became ill. They never tired in helping care for their many grandchildren. As our children grew into young adults and became parents they also helped with their great grandchildren. Mom seemed to

never tire of our children. When her grandchildren and great grandchildren grew and no longer needed

the child care she was providing she decided to become a foster grandparent and to care for the less fortunate boys at CYA (Calif. Youth Authority) which is a PRISON in Stockton. It was quite awhile before

she told me what she was doing. I am not sure what shocked me more, the fact that she kept this from

me or that she was going behind prison gates to show compassion to young inmates. I worried about this for quite a while and finally accepted the fact that she loved what she was doing, the boys loved their crazy grandma and that they had respect for their foster grandparents. Mom did this for eight years.

For a while Dad joined her and they rode a bus to work and back. Unfortunately for Dad this did not last very long before he became very ill and Mom left her job to yet nurse another loved one back to health. Mom took care of Dad for a very long time, until he became too tired to go on. Mom grieved and missed Dad and finally decided to go back to being a foster grandparent but the sadness never left her eyes. I can only imagine what it is like to lose someone who has been at your side for over 45 years. Mom decided to leave her job due to a change in supervisors at least that is what she said. She said it was too political and she became angry and upset. We started seeing slight changes in her and thought that maybe it was boredom and loneliness. Little did we know that this was the start of losing the mom we knew. We have wonderful memories of her & this I hope never to lose. If I do follow in her path I only hope that I can do it as gracefully as she did. I can only hope to love my children, grandchildren and family as she loved us and to give compassion to those that are less fortunate and not judge them but

just to love, forgive and enjoy them as she did.

Arrangements under the direction of Frisbie-Warren & Carroll Mortuary, Stockton, CA.