Canderlario Mendoza

Candelario Cande Mendoza- a longtime member of the school board and trailblazer in the school district, has died, officials announced, Wednesday. Mendoza, 89 died Tuesday at a La Verne nursing facility after a long battle with cancer, said his wife, Alicia Mendoza.

Cande Mendoza is a community icon who transformed education in the Pomona Valley to ensure every child in every household throughout our community has an opportunity to succeed, said John Avila, a longtime friend and president of the Pomona Unified school board.

The eldest of seven children, Mendoza came to Pomona as a 1 year old child with his parents from Silao in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, his wife said.

After attending local schools, Mendoza graduated in 1942 from the then -La Verne College, the only person of Mexican ancestry in a class of 68, Candelario Mendoza told the Bulletin in April of 2004.

After graduation, he applied for a teaching job in Pomona, but was rejected initially on the grounds he lacked experience. Later, district officials said they had never before hired a Mexican-American man.

They were fearful a Mexican- American man would cause a furor, Mendoza said.

Mendoza served with Gen. George Pattons 3rd Army in World War II. Upon his return home, he again sought a teaching job in Pomona.

I applied for a job in Pomona again, this time with a little more bravado, he said.

In 1946, he became the first Mexican- American to be hired as a teacher in the Pomona Unified School District, according to a statement from the district, and later was the first Mexican -American principal in the district.

Mendoza was a versatile man who combined his career as an educator with other fields, including work as a radio personality and newspaper publisher. He founded the weekly newspaper La Voz with his friend, Al Castro.

He won a seat on the Pomona school board and served from 1977 to 1981 and then again from 1990 until his death.

He was always a gentleman, said Mickey Gallivan, president of the Historical Society of Pomona Valley.

Mendoza was a member of the organization and served in its leadership at various periods.

Gallivan said Mendoza talked about how there were times when he took harsh criticism for his decisions on the school board, but would refrain from entering into debates, saying it was the gentlemanly thing to do.

It was with Mendozas help that the historical society was able to set up an office in the Village at the Indian Hill, Gallivan said.

Having that office with many artifacts related to Pomonas history, she said.

When his health was better, Mendoza would often come to the historical societys office and fill in for Gallivan taking questions from the public.

He liked working with children, leading tours of some of the historical sites in the city, she said.

And no matter who he was dealing with- be it the head of a major institution or a young child- he treated them with the same respect, Gallivan said.

Most people responded very positively to that especially kids, she said.

As a husband, Mendoza was a kind and supportive man, Alicia Mendoza said.

He was very caring and you just felt very safe with him, she said.

In addition to his wife, Mendoza is survived by his sons Nick and Dennis Mendoza. He is also survived by a brother Salvador Mendoza of Redlands, and sister, Vera Rodriguez of Pomona.

Mendozas wife said his body will be taken to Roswell, New Mexico, for services and burial. But a public memorial service in Pomona is being planned for September.

Pallbearers will be Ross Casarez Jr., Arthur Casarez, Ruben Casarez, Chris Casarez, Scott Casarez and Danny Casarez.
P Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 1, 2008, at St. Johns Catholic Church.