Dolores Woodward

Dolores Mendoza entered this world March 23, 1929 touching all who knew her. She sang like a nightingale, danced like Rita Hayworth and could connect with anyone, rich or poor, from any city or country, for she could see and bring out the good in anyone. She passed away October 27, 2019 surrounded by her children who loved her so much.

Her parents, Victor Mendoza and Maria de la Luz Carbajal, immigrated from Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, in 1923 and settled in Dolores’ birthplace, Galveston Texas, raising her and 6 brothers and sisters, all members of the Greatest Generation. Her sons Gabriel and Richard are Texans, born in Galveston before she and husband Joe Perez moved to Los Angeles in 1953 where they lived above Chinatown for many years.
Sons Joseph and Michael, and daughter Carmen followed, with husband Joe tragically dying of double pneumonia at age 53 in 1975. Dolores married Robert Woodward in 1980 and became a mother to his two children Marc and Sandra.

A devout Catholic, Dolores was a Eucharistic minister and great supporter of St. Margaret Mary’s; a hospital and Meals on Wheels volunteer; and an usher at Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. She devoted countless hours translating, filling out forms for medical care and immigration and teaching English. Dolores graduated from Washington Adult High School and was awarded a scholarship and attended UCLA and studied Japanese late in life. In this, and in so many things, she was an inspiration and model for her children and all around her.

She was warm and tender, a lioness who protected her children, and a lover of style, and it showed in her flair for clothes and life. Dolores was known to those close to her as “Miss It,” for truly the world loved having her live in it.

She is survived by her children Gabriel, Richard, Michael, Carmen and Sandra, 15 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. She will always be with us.