With heavy hearts, we honor the life of Alicia (Alice) Mendoza, a cherished wife, devoted mother, and adoring grandmother whose unwavering love and infectious smile and laugh illuminated the lives of those around her. On Sunday, November 12, 2023, Alice passed away at 61 years old, surrounded by the embrace of her beloved family. Throughout the past 12 months, she courageously battled against the relentless grip of cancer with strength and unwavering determination. Even amidst her pain and weariness, Alice’s selflessness shone through as she, without a pause would ask about the well-being of those in her presence, a testament to her compassion and caring nature.
Bound by a love that began as kids themselves, Alice married Rafael (Ralph) Mendoza her high school sweetheart, sharing 44 beautiful years. In that time, they raised three children (Ralph Jr., Robert, and Amber) and welcomed ten grandchildren, who were the center of their universe. She was also the proud mother of her fur babies: Chanel, Baby, and Shorty. Through her husband’s eyes, she was a domestic goddess, tending to their needs with love beyond measure. To her children, she was the definition of a strong and courageous woman.
To know her was to love her. Beyond her immediate family, Alice cared dearly for her countless nieces and nephews. Many will forever remember her selflessness and nurturing spirit that stretched far beyond her immediate family. Throughout her life, Alice graciously served as a caregiver and a second mother to countless family and friends’ children. We find comfort in knowing she lived her life as only she would. In its simplest forms, she treasured time well-spent cooking, bowling, camping, and swimming with her family.
As the holidays rolled around, she found joy in decorating. She was the biggest cheerleader for her beloved Chicago sports teams (just not the Cubs). And no one will ever forget her energy that filled the room with pure joy at any gathering, as it was a guarantee she would grab you by the hand to dance.
Survived by her family and friends, we honor Alice’s memory in the way she would have wished—by cherishing life and time with loved ones. Her family members are numerous but include: Daughter of the late +Maria Prado and +Juan Montejano Husband of 44 years: Ralph Mendoza Mother of 3 and Partners: Ralph Jr. (Lorraine), Robert (Monique), and Amber (Israel). Grandmother to 10: Robert Jr., Nathan, Emilio, Alyssa, Anthony, Penelope, Rafael III, Sophia, Abigail and Valentino.
Siblings: Avalina Pedroza, Raymond Montejano, Eva Montejano, Mauricia Lopez, Angel Morales, Marylou Martinez, John Montejano and Rogelio Montejano.
In-laws: Henry and Veronica B. Mendoza, Henry Mendoza Jr., Anna Mendoza, and the late Martin Mendoza.
Extended family: James and Sandra Martines, Jason and Susan Martines, Nina and Cesar Alcacio, Amanda and Michael Cabanas, Trisha and Tony Amador, the late Tony Jr., Julio Morales, Arturo and Cynthia Martinez, Mary Esther Martinez, Raul Navarro, Jeremy and Julian Montejano and many, many more nieces and nephews while not mentioned dearly loved.
Visitation: Monday, November 20, 2023 at St. Procopius Church, 1200 West 18th Street (Corner of 18th Street & Allport Street) Chicago, Illinois 60608 from 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Parking available in Church parking lot and soccer field on 16thStreet & Racine Avenue).
Funeral Service: Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at St. Procopius Church family and friends will meet at St. Procopius Church, 1202 West 18th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60608 at 10:00 a.m. for the Celebration of Life Service/Mass. Burial at Mount Auburn Memorial Park Cemetery, 4101 South Oak Park Avenue, Stickney, Illinois 60402.
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God saw Alicia was getting tired, and the cure was not to be, so He put His arms around her and whispered “Come with Me.” With tearful eyes we watched her suffer and saw her fade away. Although we loved her dearly, we could not make her stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.
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Rest In Peace Alicia your work is done here on earth you did very good now go to heaven and rest in peace. Your family knew you loved them every day your actions showed them. Good bye my friend rest now and know we all LOVE YOU….
Alice , I was blessed to know you such a great woman always very outgoing and compassionate.God will welcome you in Heaven for you are a great Angel.Rest in Peace 🕊️🕊️
Love you grandma forever gonna be ur body guard😔❤️
To the Mendoza Family my deepest condolences to you and your family 🙏. Alice was the best daughter, great wife ,loving mother,cherish grandmother any one would want🙏 Yes your family was your most important factor in your life always there for them your (family) god bless you with your family grandchildren. Rest in heaven you will be miss ❤️ I’m so happy to have the opportunity to share our loving grandchildren thank you 🙏
Thank you for your kind and heartfelt words. They are very comforting at this time may God bless you and your family
So sorry for your loss!!!
My deepest condolences
God Bless you and Rest in Peace young lady, from all of the Patlan family.
I LOVE YOU MOMMA ❤️❤️🩹❤️❤️🩹❤️
Sending our love cousin!
My condolences bro
I’m so sorry for the loss of Alicia
My deepest sympathy for the mendoza family
Mr. Ralph Mendoza Condolences Too You and your Family 🙏. May God Bless your Wife Alice, Great woman that I know. From your Friend Kujo….
Cousins, we are praying for you all. May you find some comfort in knowing that your Kansas City family is praying for you and sending our love to you all. 🙏🏼🕊️❤️
I had the honor of having 2 of the best sister-in-laws. She welcomed me with open arms and made feel like family over the 39 years I’ve known her. EVEN after my divorce to Roy, she always invited me over whether to BBQ, candlelight parties and birthdays. I will never forget her amazing heart and great cooking. I’ll miss watching Bears, Sox and Bulls, even boxing.
Love you Al to the Moon and back ❤️🩹
I grew up with Ralph Jr & Robert in Pilsen and remember how nice Alice always was. She will be deeply missed, on behalf of the Pedroza Family I offer My deepest heartfelt condolences to the Mendoza Family. May She rest in heaven with the angels.
Tia Alice, rest peacefully knowing you are and forever will be imprinted in our hearts & memories because your heart was so big, unconditionally caring, loving, and forgiving. You were a great tia, sister, daughter, grandmother that loved so unselfishly. You are greatly missed & always wil be. My husband Tony says “ remember her joyful, self. So continue dancing tia Alice. I’m saddened but grateful that you are no longer in pain & suffering, love you so very much forever Tia, until we meet again, God rest your soul.
Our condolences to the Mendoza family
may Alice rest in peace
from Michael and Patricia Castanedo
It was with great sorrow that we learned of Alice’s passing. So many memories come to mind from dancing in the street to playing bingo. She will definitely be missed by many. May your special memories help you through this sorrowful time. Our hearts are with you.
Our love and hugs go out to you guys. May good wrap his loving arms around your family during this time. We love you guys! May she rest peacefully.
Those were very good times Benny & Sandy times that we will never forget we will always cherish those good days and may the sun always shine on you guys. God bless you both.🙏
What a beautiful send off! ❤️ Alice was a beautiful woman, loved talking to her whenever we ran into eachother. She love her grandchildren dearly, that’s all she talked about. GOD BLESS YOU ALL
RIP ALICE
So sorry for your loss, my deepest condolences to your family make sure rest in peace!
Alice…I’m in so much disbelief I was just talking to you at the hospital. I was on my way with your Christmas music. My heart is heavy😔me and my babies will always miss you and think about you. Your grinchy your twon. May you rest in paradise mother in law. I LOVE YOU❤️❤️
Our deepest condolences to the Mendoza family, Alice has been a dear friend for over 30 years. She will be missed by all. Our family just loved their Aunt Alice. Please wait for us to get the party started girlfriend! Love you The Ziarko’s
So very sorry for your loss. May she rest in peace with the angels. 🙏🏻💛
Rest in Peace Lovely lady, I am so grateful that God made sure we met. I will never forget how you, always loved my greeting style, whether it be me singing, dancing or joking around with everyone, Thanks for being my Cheerleader, I was hoping you could’ve been here longer, But God Knows best so I’ll keep my friend Rafael and the family in prayer.
Miss Reed you always brought the biggest smile to her face with your beautiful attitude on life you are truly a bright ray of sunshine to her as well as many others on dark days. May God bless you always, and keep up the good work young lady.❤️
Tia Alice, or Little Lady as Olivia would call you – No words can describe what you mean not only to me but my family. Thank you for loving us as your own children. It hurt to watch you suffer, and it hurt even more to lose you. Rest peacefully and live eternally with all our loved ones that have gone before you. Until we meet again, I love you.
My condolences to you Ralph and the family. Alice it was a pleasure to have known you, we had a lot of fun with the block party’s, BBQ and hanging out on the corner by the pumps with the kids. You have left kus so many memories that we will always cherish. I will miss you dearly my friend. You were taken to soon, but God only knows why he had to come for you, you’re job was done. May you go now and Rest In Peace 🙏♥️ Love you.
My condolences to you Ralph and the family. Alice it was a pleasure to have known you, we had a lot of fun with the block party’s, BBQ and hanging out on the corner by the pumps with the kids. You have left us so many memories that we will always cherish. I will miss you dearly my friend. You were taken to soon, but God only knows why he had to come for you, you’re job was done. May you go now and Rest In Peace 🙏♥️ Love you.
Words may not suffice to express the heartfelt sorrow that I feel for the passing of my son Rafael’s grandmother Alice. To Ralph Sr and the whole family, please accept my condolences on behalf of the Villalpando, Gonzalez and Davis family. Alice was a beautiful person inside and out. Thank you Alice for being a loving grandmother to my Rafa. You will forever be in our hearts and may you turn up in paradise. I promise to forever keep your memory alive to your grandson Rafael.
Words may not suffice to express the heartfelt sorrow that I feel for the passing of my son Rafael’s grandmother, Alice. To Ralph Sr and the whole family, please accept my condolences on behalf of the Villalpando, Gonzalez and Davis family. Alice was a beautiful person inside and out. Thank you Alice for being a loving grandmother to my Rafa. You will forever be in our hearts and may you turn up in paradise. I promise to keep your memory alive to your grandson Rafael.
Our deepest condolences to Ralph and family. Our hearts ache to know that Alice is gone. I will always treasure the fun times we all had together and having her at so many memorable celebrations. Rest peacefully Alice, we love you.
Love, Olivia (according to Alice AKA Lydia) and Mario Esparza
i’m so sorry for your loss Alice was a kind beautiful soul she was always so kind to me and our friends when we were working on wacker and i will always remember her as the sweetest woman my thoughts and prayers go out for Ralph and his family
Ed Pehr and Family,
Our prayers are with you and your family. Seems like a beautiful life has come to an end
she died as she lived …Everyones Friend.
Ralph, we had a great time working together. Glad your retired take care of yourself and your family.
My condolences Ralph, Ralph jr.Jr., Amber Robert and all family and friends of Alice..
An incredibly beautiful soul.
Always treasure those special moments and smile.
God Bless Alice and all your family.
Amor🌹🕊🙏
Ralph so sorry to hear about your loving wife. Alice was loved by so many ,may God give you the strength to carry on and take care of your beautiful family. My condolences 💐 brother 🙏 Peter S. Martin … mop 🐕
My deepest sympathy bro. May you and your family find comfort at this time of grief. ❤️
To my Aunt Alice
Thank you , thank you for always being the genuine true definition of an AUNT to me.
From the early days as a kid, to teen, and to an adult.
I will always remember those early days at the old house on Ruble st.
The sleepovers, party’s, late Nintendo nights with cousins, and was always welcomed by you and my Great Uncle.
Thank you is an understatement to my gratitude and respect towards you.
My boys cherished and loved you and would always be so happy and excited when you would baby sit them.
Thank you please rest and know that you left irreplaceable emotions and memories with the people you came in contact with all these years.
There is just to many stories and memories to share.
The Martines Family will always think of you daily and love you till the end of time.
Thank you my Dear Aunt, Lov ya always..
It’s very hard to describe how a lot of us are feeling rn. The best thing to do is just remember all the good times we were so fortunate to have spent with you AL, The biggest heart & the biggest laugh! You really showed so much love to so many of us growing up. Always so welcoming, I’ll never forget our conversations we would have in your kitchen after school. Thank you for everything & especially showing us how to be a great Mother. Love you always. <3 Ade belle , Eddie , Sage & Esmé
My tia,
I know you know how much you meant to me, my children (your chunks and miss aubrey) and husband (your Mike).
To my siblings and I you were a staple in our lives. You accepted us like your own and showed the purest love and care from childhood to adulthood you and uncle were always there. When we all became parents ourselves you were there for our children with the same love and affection as you had with us.
To my cousins Ralphie, Bob, Amber thank you for sharing her with us and so many more.
I will forever cherish all the memories we all had together, I could go on and list forever… (duh)
This past year was hard but you were still in good spirits. I am so glad we got that last dance together to our Selenas… as hard as it was these past few months being by your side I am grateful that I was able to share that time with you.
Thank you for showing us all what pure love and family truly is. For teaching me so many important life lessons. For listening and being present. I will miss our phone calls gossiping during the week, the voicemails “Manda, are you at work call me have to tell you something, ok love you stooge”
Thank you thank you, I promise to always be there for my cousins and Uncle Ralph.
I love you forever my nanny.
Love ,
Your Stooge.
My sincere condolences to all family and friends of Alice. Growing up in the same neighborhood anytime I came across Alice she always had this smile that just let you know what a kind person she was. May God comfort and bless you all.
Sincerely,
Lety Correa
oh my old lady😞😞 my diamond lady😞 i miss you so much already. I love you my abuela endlessly . words cant express the way I feel knowing we go to your house and you won’t be there in the kitchen cleaning when nothing has to be cleaned lol I just miss your presence I miss your voice I miss your hugs. I just miss YOU!!!!!!! I hate how early you left us but you’re not hurting anymore .
I am so sorry for your loss. She was a great woman. Always had a smile to welcome friends. She will be greatly missed but is still smiling in the light of God and watching over us all.
Dearest Ralph and family, we are sending all our love and prayers to you at this time. It’s comforting to know that Alice is at peace now, and sits with God. We are sending flowers to you at this time keep peace in your hearts, all our love cousins, Helen, Yvonne, And Tina
To Big Ralph and family, I am so heartbroken that Alice left too soon and that your family is hurting.. My condolences, may God give you strength and comfort during this time. I will remember Alice with her big dimples and smile!
Keeping the Mendoza family in our prayers. Sr & Jr, enjoyed working with you on various jobs. You both have big hearts & big smiles & lots of laughs. You made the days go by easily, keep that great attitude going forward………
Grandma I miss you so much. This still doesn’t feel real to me. I promise to keep your memory alive for our family. Rest Peacefully now grandma 💔🕊️
Sweet Aunt Alice we are heartbroken you left us so soon. We will always remember your contagious laugh and smile. You always welcomed us with open & loving arms. We will forever cherish our beautiful memories of you. 🕊️
Sending our condolences and big hugs to Uncle Ralph, Ralphie , Bobby, Amber and all the grandbabies. 💙
Love Always,
Marcello & Monica Ramirez
Please accept our heartfelt condolences for the loss of your mother, wife, grandmother, mother in law. She was a truly special woman and the love for her husband and family was the thing I remember most about her. She always had a big smile and had the biggest heart. May all of the beautiful happy memories you shared with her bring you some peace during this difficult time.
Mis mas sincero pesame.
Mis resospara que encuentren resignacion para el eterno descanso de Alicia… Ella estará velando por todos ustedes. Alicia a dejado éste mundo para estár en el Cielo. Dios les bendiga a todos para aceptar la palabra de nuestro Señor. La Paz esté con todos ustedes. 🙏 AMEN.
Mendoza Family, you have my deepest condolences.
May God, see your grieving hearts, hear all of our prayers, bring you peace and keep you in His care.
Thinking of your family. I am sorry for your loss.
My Deepest Condolences to My cousins 💐
Cousin Alice May God Welcome you in his loving arms until we see that Beautiful smile again! You will always be remembered ❤️ 💔
Sorry to the Mendoza family for your loss, my deepest sympathy 🙏🙏