Johnnie Mendes Jr. 79, of Vacaville passed away from congestive heart failure on Wednesday, June 9 in Vacaville. He was born on Jan. 31, 1931 in Hollister, Calif.He was in the USAF from 1947 to 1950 as a mess cook in Hawaii and at Hickem field on Johnston Isl. Johnnie also ran the Grizzly Island Ferry of Solano County , from 1953 to 1955, before running the substation for the Sacramento Northern Railroad, producing electricity to run the train from Concord to Sacramento.He was a member in good standing of Sheet Metal Workers Union, local 104, for 50 years. He started working for Ted Emmington Sheet Metal until the shop burned. After that he worked for Hickory Sheet Metal until it closed. He then went to Allen and Simmons until his retirement after a heart attack in 1986.He enjoyed fishing, cooking, boating, and helping friends and family.Johnnie met his wife , Birtie Lou Yates in 1947. They married Feb. 9, 1951, 59 years ago. He was preceded in death by his parents, John R. Mendes and Amelia Mendes, also his daughter Caroline A. Mendes. He is survived by his wife, Birtie Mendes; daughters and son-in-law, Sandy Mendes, Peggy and Ed Zickowski; son and daughter-in-law, John and Sheri Mendes; brothers, Albert, Alfred, Louie, Benny, George, and Roy; sister, Clara Rodrigues; seven grandchildren, Chris Albert, Megann Beebe, Jared Zickowski, Tim Zickowski, Josh Riehl, Shay Mendes, and Jessica Brownwood; 11 great-grandchildren, Christina, Dylan, Madison, Brandon, Zoey, Ryder, Riley, Anthony, Olivia, Isabell, and Jonah.A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 24 from 1 to 4 p.m., for location inquire at
jmendes.memorial@yahoo.com or call 707-449-9456. A private graveside service will be at Vaca-Elmira Cemetery.
