Edward Allen Mendell

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by West Point 1955 on January 16, 2018:

Edward Allen Mendell (Nov. 23, 1933 - Jan. 3, 2018) Resident of Los Altos Ed passed away peacefully of natural causes, as a result of dementia, on the morning of January 3, 2018 with his family by his side. Ed touched many lives as a teacher, businessman, and athlete. Ed was born at Fort Lewis, Washington, the son of a military family, and after graduating from Miami High School, he was accepted to West Point. As a cadet he excelled in both the ranger program and the paratroopers. He also played on the football team, threw the javelin, and was a heavyweight boxer on the boxing team. He graduated from West Point in 1955 and received his diploma from President Eisenhower. Ed spent two years in the army before pursuing his dream of being a school teacher. He relocated from New York to California and eventually found a position as a teacher at Ravenswood High School in East Palo Alto. He spent several years at Ravenswood, then at Woodside High, before finishing his career at Ravenswood. In 1968 he took a sabbatical from teaching and received a doctorate in education from Stanford. Ed took up handball and joined the Palo Alto Elks Club. There, he met many of his longtime friends. And years later, he was instrumental in keeping the club alive when it ran into financial trouble. He was elected as the Exalted Ruler of the Elks, a very proud moment in his life. Ed also volunteered as a little league and soccer coach. He competed in handball tournaments, including several with his oldest son, winning four titles including one at the age of 80. He enjoyed fishing trips to Alaska, and in recent years, he would donate all of his catch to the veteran's hospital in Palo Alto. At 6' 3" with a very muscular build, Ed could be an intimidating figure, especially for those who knew about his boxing background. However, he had a soft spot for children and animals and often found humor when least expected. Ed is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nancy; his sons, Glenn and Dale; daughter, Diana; and grandchildren, Yvette, Shelby, and Alexandra. He is preceded in death by his parents, Col. Martin Mendell and mother Lela, his brother James and his sister Patricia. Ed will be buried on January 10, 2018 at 11 am, at the Alta Mesa Cemetery in Palo Alto on 695 Arastradero Road, followed by a celebration of life at the Palo Alto Elks Club located at 4249 El Camino Real. For more information contact glennmendell@gmail.com. San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times 7 January 2018

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