Lillian Lorraine (Souza) Mendonsa returned to her Heavenly Father on Saturday September 6, 2008. Lil was born September 11, 1919 in Suisun, CA to Mary and Thomas Souza. Lillian married her husband of 65 years Ernest Mendonsa in a double wedding with her sister Lucille Giamona. Lillian was raised in Monterey, later moving to Hollister to raise her boys on the family fruit farm. She spent the past 15 years of her life living in Salinas. Her greatest joy was her family, which included two sons, eight grandchildren, and six great- grandchildren. She was a woman of great faith and enjoyed the simple things in life. Lillian was an avid sports fan and received much joy listening and watching her “SF Giants”. She herself was an amazing athlete playing women’s softball in the “League of Their Own Era”. Lil spent much of her adult life coaching women’s softball in Hollister. Lillian was so touched and proud to have her third great-granddaughter named “Lilly” in her honor. Our “Mimi” (as she was affectionately known by her family), a name she received from her first and long awaited granddaughter Melissa, will truly be missed and remembered for being the heart of the family.
Lillian was predeceased by her husband Ernest. She leaves two sons, Robert (Nancy) Mendonsa of Salinas, Albert (Gayla) Mendonsa of Hollister; grandchildren Melissa, Audra, Joshua (Melissa), Robby, Jacob (Sara) and Amber; great grandchildren Taylor,Garrett, Tucker, Ella, Lillian, and Brody; sister Lucille Giamona and brother John Souza. The family will receive friends on Wednesday evening between 6:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. at the Grunnagle Ament Nelson Funeral Home . Friends are invited to the funeral service on Thursday morning, Sept. 11th at the mortuary chapel beginning at 10:00 A.M. Interment will follow at Mission Memorial Park, Seaside. Donations are preferred to the Arthritis Foundation c/o the mortuary chapel.
