Alvin Mendosa 1933-2022

Alvin Mendosa was born in Mendocino on November 3, 1933 to Joseph Mendosa and Mamie Gordon Mendosa. He passed away after a long illness on May 17, 2022 at the age of 88. Alvin and his high school sweetheart, Jeanette Fraser, were married on Easter Sunday in 1952. When Alvin was drafted into the U.S. Army, he and Jeanette were able to live together off base during assignments in Monterey and Texas.

For many years Alvin and Jeanette loved trolling local rivers in their small outboard motor boat. It didn’t ever matter if they hooked a fish or not. The joy of being together on a river was what they always looked forward to. In 1909 Alvin’s grandfather, Frank Mendosa, converted his saloon and chop house into a grocery and dry goods store. In the 1940’s Alvin’s father along with five uncles and his aunt, organized the family business into the Mendosa Brothers partnership. In the early 1960’s, Alvin’s father retired and Alvin took over as manager of the Market side. In the 1980’s Alvin and Jeanette went into business for themselves and opened Mendocino Market, located on Ukiah Street across from the Post Office. Community service was always an important part of Alvin’s life. In 1966, he joined a group of Rotarians, with the Fort Bragg Rotary Club, to charter the Mendocino Rotary Club. In the early 1970’s when the State issued a Cease-and-Desist order to all residents to shut down failing septic tanks, Alvin worked with a group of civic minded local residents to form the Mendocino City Community Services District. He was the first president of the Board of Directors. Alvin was always proud the MCCSD Board secured grants to cover a majority of the costs to build Mendocino’s waste water treatment plant. Alvin is survived by his sons Randy (Lisa) and Mitch (Lori), grandchildren Jessica Saksen (Mike Saksen), Tyler Mendosa (Amy Wong Mendosa), Janie Mendosa and Marisa Mendosa. Great grandchildren Cade Saksen, Quinn Saksen, Reid Alvin Saksen, Jaxon Mendosa, and Melody Mendosa. Special survivors include his close cousin Jeanette Mendosa Hansen, and life-long friends David and Marge Fraga. He is preceded in death by his wife Jeanette Mendosa (Oct. 1990), parents, Joseph and Mamie Mendosa, sister Lila Longo, niece Lisa Longo, along with several aunts, uncles, and cousins. The family hopes to have a public memorial at a later date after COVID concerns wane and infant great grandchildren can travel.