Evelyn DeBord Rogers Mendiola
February 18, 1940 ~ November 6, 2019
Evelyn DeBord Rogers Mendiola, 79, died peacefully on November 6, 2019, after a long illness.
Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Evelyn was the only child of Shirley DeBord Rogers and Garrett Rogers. The couple divorced and she was raised by her mother and grandparents. Her mother later married Wilson Cook. Evelyn grew up in the coal-mining town of Sophia, WV. Her grandfather and her step-father were both coal miners. She inherited her musical talent from her mother and grandmother. Her family was active in the community and the Baptist church where she participated in service and mission programs. Evelyn was always very social, hosting many parties for her friends at home. She was involved in many activities: dance, piano, band, girl scouts.
After graduation from Sophia High School, Evelyn attended West Virginia Wesleyan College. She spent her junior year of college in the Philippines attending Philippines Christian College and Union Theological Seminary. At WVWC, Evelyn studied organ, voice, piano and oboe. Upon graduating with a major in Music and minor in Philosophy, Evelyn travelled the world, visiting many countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
From 1962-1965, Evelyn served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. She taught English as a Second Language (ESL) and did Teacher training. In 1965, she married Miguel "Mike" Mendiola, an airline captain for the Philippine Airlines, and former Air Force pilot. They were involved in their church and very close with Presbyterian missionary families. Evelyn taught ESL and music at the American School in the Philippines, where she developed a band program. They had two daughters, Rebecca and Margaret, and moved to Denver in 1970, where Mike had previously received training at Lowry Air Force Base.
The family settled in Westminster and joined Westminster Presbyterian Church. Evelyn taught at Shaw Heights Jr. High in the Adams County School District. She led the music, vocal and instrumental program, and developed the orchestra program. She also taught Adult ESL classes and was the coordinator for the Cambodian Refugee Language school. Evelyn later taught at Alameda High School and Mandalay Middle School in the Jefferson County School District from 1980-2008. She was Director of ESL and Drama programs, taught language arts and composition, music and social studies. In the spring of 1982, Evelyn battled breast cancer. Later that same year, she and Mike travelled to the Philippines to adopt their son, Joseph.
An avid racing fan, Evelyn watched every car race she could, knowing the rules, the points, and the racers. Evelyn was a member of the Sports Car Club of America. She worked races doing flagging and communication, including the Denver Grand Prix. She continued to travel the world throughout her life and she enjoyed driving her Cadillac on road trips across the country. Evelyn sang in Northland Chorale, performed in over a dozen summer musicals at Westminster Presbyterian Church, studied dance, loved her cats and was a voracious reader. She was a member of the Opera Colorado Chorus for many years. Evelyn was a very caring person who deeply loved her family and had a diverse circle of close friends who were like family. She had a heart for outreach to people in need. One example is her signature school program, that raised funds and supplies that students personally delivered to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Her students remember her fondly for her engaging teaching style and dedication. Evelyn loved her grandchildren, often reading, singing, talking and praying with them.
After her retirement from teaching in 2008, she was active as a member of Broomfield United Methodist Church, singing in the choir and teaching ESL. She loved to host parties, took bridge and Spanish classes, played Mahjong, and sang with the Boulder Chorale.
She is dearly missed and survived by her children Rebecca (Kelly) Vogel, Margaret (David) Bohn, and Joseph (Nikki) Mendiola, grandchildren: Madison, Kohl and Camden, and her former husband, Miguel "Mike" Mendiola.
A memorial service will be held at Broomfield United Methodist Church, 545 W. 10th Avenue, Broomfield, Colorado on Saturday, November 16 at 11am in the chapel, followed by a luncheon.
Memorial donations may be made in Evelyn's name to The Women's Connection c/o Broomfield United Methodist Church. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.storkfamilymortuary.com.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
11:00 AM 11/16/2019 11:00:00 AM - 12:30 PM 11/16/2019 12:30:00 PM
United Methodist Church
545 W. 10th Avenue
Broomfield, CO 80020
United Methodist Church
545 W. 10th Avenue Broomfield 80020 CO
United States
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I remember Mrs Mendiola, she taught Social Studies for first period when I was in Middle School. She randomly popped into my mind today, and I googled her to find that she had passed. She was a wonderful woman and teacher, full of life and color.