Obituary of Isidro S. Mendes
Isidro “Isi” or “Izzy” Silva Mendes, age 89, of Venice, Florida, passed away on August 29, 2023. He was born in Fatima, Portugal on July 31, 1934, and served in the Portuguese Army from 1955-1957. Isi immigrated from Portugal to Lima, Ohio in 1958 where he was a telephone maintenance technician for 34 years prior to retirement in 1992. In 2003, he relocated to Venice to be near his family. He is survived by his sister, Diamantina Vieira; daughter, Lina Howard; son, George Mendes; two granddaughters, Elisha (Tripp) Jennings and Kelsey (Collin) Knight; a great-granddaughter, Hannah Jennings, and a great-grandson, Benjamin Jennings. Isi was preceded in death by his wife, Mariana Mendes; four brothers, Armindo, Armando, Natalio, Franklin and two sisters, Deolinda and Miquelina.
Traveling by bicycle was a very important part of Isi’s life; it was a defining experience and a life-changing one as well. He felt that traveling by bike helps build confidence, resilience, and perseverance, in addition to being a healthy outdoor activity. He was always encouraging others to try cycling. Therefore, in lieu of flowers, Isi would like you to consider making memorial contributions to the Isidro Mendes Scholarship supporting the Innovation and Discovery Program at Adventure Cycling Association.
This program introduces young adults and emerging riders to the joy of bike travel by providing them with an opportunity to participate in an ACA guided tour or workshop learning experience. Each year, young adults are selected and provided with the tools and resources for a lifetime of adventure on two wheels. Isi was a lifelong cycling advocate, and more specifically enjoyed touring and sharing his adventures with his family and friends. Having biked cross country on the Northern Tier in 2014 and in most of the United States for the last 20 years – including in remote parts of Alaska, from Anchorage to Denali National Park – Isi was committed to sharing the joy he felt during his cycling travels.
Adventure Cycling’s mission of inspiring, empowering, and connecting people of all ages to travel by bike is a great match to his cycling passion. He felt the best gift he could leave is helping others experience that same joy that he experienced.
You can make a 100% tax-deductible donation to support the Isi Mendes Young Adult Scholarship at https://isidro-mendes.funraise.org/
The Adventure Cycling Association is the largest cycling membership organization in North America with more than 51,000 members. Adventure Cycling produces cycling routes and maps for North America, organizes more than 100 tours annually, and publishes bicycle travel information including the award-winning Adventure Cyclist magazine. With over 55,000 mapped miles in the Adventure Cycling Route Network, Adventure Cycling gives cyclists the tools and confidence to create their own bike travel adventures. Phone: (406) 721-1776. Web: http://www.adventurecycling.org.
