Daniel R. Mendoza

Daniel R. Mendoza

Daniel R. Mendoza was born on June 18, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York and passed away at home in Mount Vernon on December 4, 2010. He was the fourth son of James and Loretta (Mulligan) Mendoza and was raised in Hell's Kitchen, downtown Manhattan. He could tell a thousand stories about those early years.

As a youth, Dan began a boxing career with the N.Y. Boys Club. He was never beaten as an amateur, and at the age of seventeen, he won the New York Golden Gloves.

During the Korean War, Dan enlisted in the United States Air Force. While stationed in South Carolina he met a co-worker, Bette Marlene (Marte) and they were married in 1953. Upon discharge from the service, Dan became a professional boxer in New York City. Three sons were subsequently born during this time and a decision was made to move to a more family oriented environment. Marte had grown up in the Skagit Valley and she persuaded Dan to move west. They first lived in Burlington and then settled in Mt. Vernon where they have lived in the same home for over forty years.

Dan worked at many jobs, most of which he had never heard of being a "City Boy". These jobs made great fodder for many new stories. He had a family to take care of so he listened and learned. Eventually, he started his own construction company, Mendoza & Associates, Inc. with his two sons. Dan was a proud owner and their company became quite well known in the Northwest.

Dan's love for his sons, Danny, Corey and Kevin, grew with them. He attended hundreds of sporting events to cheer them on. The three greatest moments of his life were seeing each son graduate from college.

His grandchildren were a huge source of pride and joy and he was a constant in their lives. He kept them in awe with his many stories (mostly true) for years. To this day, he was still advising them on how to solve all the world's problems.

Dan's first love was his family and the second was…HOTDOGS. He could barely pass a hotdog stand without buying at least one, with all the trimmings. Spaghetti was his number one meal choice, at home, in restaurants or wherever. It never changed.

When Dan retired, he gave the business to the "Associates". He and Marte continued to travel in their varied RVs. Dan did love to drive and some of his funniest stories were about these RV trips. He and Marte eventually bought a mini-home in Arizona and looked forward to warm winters there with their many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Andrew and Jimmy Mendoza, and in-laws Everett and Lola Baked.

Dan is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marte, and by his three sons and their families: Danny and Linda with MacKenzie and Meghan (French), Corey and Jyl, Kevin and Judy with Breona and Brandon. There are also two great-grandchildren, Emmit and Eulabee French; one brother, Joe Mendoza and family in New York and a brother-in-law, Jay Baker and family in Arizona.

A Celebration of Dan's life will be held Saturday, December 11, 2010, 11:00am until Noon at the Cottontree in