Rafael A. "Rafe" Mendez's Obituary
Rafael A. “Rafe” Mendez, age 68, of Lorain, passed away suddenly of an apparent heart attack, on Sunday, August 25, 2019.
He was born on October 31, 1950 in Utuado, PR and moved to Lorain in 1953, where he resided for the rest of his life.
Rafe graduated from Admiral King High School in 1968. He served as a United States Army Medic in Korea during the Vietnam War. When he returned to Lorain after the war, he went to work for US Steel and the Lake Terminal Railroad before becoming a fireman for the City of Lorain. His career as a fireman lasted 33 years before retiring in 2008.
Rafe was an avid baseball, softball, and basketball player. He enjoyed reading, riding bikes, gazing at the stars and watching a beautiful sunset. He liked planting, caring for, and nurturing his plants and flowers that he took pride in, and he will always be known for having the capability of making everyone laugh. Traveling with his wife was always something he looked forward to, especially to Puerto Rico and Hilton Head Island, where he easily made so many friends over the years. They were fortunate to travel to many destinations together and see many places.
Rafe will be dearly missed by his beloved wife of 20 years, Sue (nee Burgett), who he met at the Lorain Fire Department. He is also survived by his daughter, Melissa Monique (Josh) Dotson, of Lorain, son, Ray (Melissa) Mendez, of Berlin Heights, his sisters; Olga (Mark Pettersen) Williams, of Bryant, Arkansas, Maria Evelyn (Steve) Mathess, of Columbia Station, Enith (Jim) Workman, of Vermilion, granddaughters; Makayla & Ava Dotson, and Leigha & Hannah Mendez, father-in-law, Robert “Bob” Burgett, of Lorain, brother-in-law, Bob (Barbara) Burgett, of Powell, OH, sister-in-law, Jan Walsh, of Elyria, and many uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and of course his grand-dog, Luke.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Francisco “Pancho” Mendez Montalvo and Rosa America Mendez, and his mother-in-law, Millie Burgett.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, August 29, 2019 from 4:00 pm until the time of his memorial service at 7:15 pm, at the Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst. Rev. Gilbert Silva, Pastor of the House of Praise International Church, Lorain, will officiate. A Memorial Mass will be held on Friday, August 30, 2019 at Sacred Heart Chapel, 4301 Pearl Avenue, Lorain, at 9:00 am. The Rev. Fr. William Thaden, Pastor, will officiate.
Contributions, in Rafe’s memory, are suggested to be made to The Lorain County Metro Parks, (specifically for Lakeview Beach and Lakeview Park), 12882 Diagonal Road, LaGrange, Ohio 44050, or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
To send an online condolence, please go to www.dovinreberjones.com.
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