Alice Gaona Mendoza, born September 15,1923, died Friday, November 29, 2024. She passed away peacefully in hospice care at 101 years of age.
Her husband, Manuel Verdugo Mendoza, preceded her in death after 58 years of marriage. She is survived by her sons Manuel Mendoza Jr. and Benjamin Mendoza, her daughters Sylvia Nandin and Barbara Duran, 9 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren.
Alice was born in Miami, Arizona. Raised in a family of 14 children, she lived her entire life in Arizona. She was married at 19 years of age, and saw her husband through two active wars (WWII and Korean Conflict).
She was a homemaker and a lifelong baseball fan. She followed the Chicago Cubs in her early years, but switched allegiance to the Arizona Diamondbacks in her later years. She never missed a game on TV. She loved to work in her garden, nurtured her family, and was the master tortilla maker in the family.
At the age of 90, she traveled to Washington D.C. to receive the Medal of Honor for her husband’s valor during WWII. President Barack Obama presented the award to Alice at a White House ceremony on March 14, 2014.
Alice cherished family above all else. She was our shining star, bringing joy and love to family and friends alike. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Interment at Mountain View Funeral Home & Cemetery in Mesa, Arizona.