Erwin Omar Mendieta's Obituary
Erwin Omar Mendieta was born on September 14, 1949, to his parents, Helio R. Mendieta and Madelina F. Arguello, in Managua, Nicaragua. He was the 3rd out of 7 children. He spent his youth in Managua, and at around 9 years old, he began singing to his family and town. Everyone who heard him sing was surprised to listen to his wonderful operatic sounds. He won many competitions, and no one would compete against him for fear of losing because he was just that gifted. The judges of the contests offered him his own weekend show, and at the same time was offered to perform in front of a massive audience in the town of Granada, Nicaragua. During this performance, the last song he sang was called Granada. The audience fell in love with his vocals and took him from the stage, passing this young boy through the crowd on their shoulders, clapping and cheering. The next day, while Erwin was out for breakfast with his father. He began to eat his meal when he noticed the crowd peering through the restaurant windows, eager to glimpse the young talent they had heard the night before. At this moment, Erwin decided this life was not want to live this lifestyle and walked away from the potential stardom he could’ve achieved. He never regretted this decision, even in his adulthood. Fortunately, he did continue to sing for friends and family throughout the years.
On April 20, 1963, Erwin came to Los Angeles, California, to live at his sister Mariana Castillo’s house. It was his first time coming to the United States, and he knew not one word of English. He started to work to begin his new life in the United States. He held a variety of job titles throughout the years to assimilate into the culture of Los Angeles. At one of them, a few years later, he met his first wife, Evelyn Rodela. They fell in love and got married in the late 60s. They gave birth to Erwin’s first two children, Erwin Jr., and Cherry. They all lived together in East LA for many years, then to Montebello in 1978. They were together until the death of Evelyn in 1987.
He then met his surviving wife, Maria, in 1989, and they gave birth to three sons, Luigi, Ariel, and Eric. They continued to live in Montebello until 2001, when they moved to a house in Rialto.
One of his favorite jobs throughout the years was working at Preciado Funeral Home for several years. There he made a great friend in Jerry, who he kept in touch with through the years. He traveled many times back to Nicaragua to sell and donate items to an orphanage named after the Mendieta family.
Erwin loved his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to the end. He knew the family was the most crucial thing and wanted everyone to love one another no matter the circumstances. He loved boxing, whether actually in the ring or just watching on the TV. He loved cars and everything about them. He spent many years buying and selling vehicles and loved the process of managing the restoration to completion. He also enjoyed spending time playing lotto tickets and the occasional bingo games. Later in life, he discovered karaoke and was one who could not put the microphone down. He was a fantastic singer, and everyone around him enjoyed seeing him perform!
He is survived by his wife, Maria, and five adult children, Erwin Jr., Cherry, Luigi, Ariel, and Eric, who will all love and miss him very much. He also has nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who he loved dearly. They will all miss him greatly.
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