Jose Mendoza Mata

Jose “Papi” Matarrita passed away peacefully at home on the morning of Friday, December 2, 2022 at the age of 91. Jose, one of 13 children, was born and raised in Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
He immigrated to the United States in the 1950’s and later became an American Citizen.
He was a member of the US Merchant Marines and became a ship engineer for the Seafarers International Union of North America, which gave him the opportunity to travel around the world numerous times.
One of his great passions was horse racing. You would always find him at the race track watching the horse races.
In his younger days, he enjoyed playing soccer and cheering for the Costa Rica National Soccer Team.
He always made sure his lawn was in tip top shape, still mowing his own lawn and that of his neighbors up until a year of his passing.
He was a devoted parishioner of St. Ann Catholic Church in Metairie. Jose instilled in his daughter and grandchildren the value and importance of helping those in need. A man of great strength with a strong will to survive any situation life threw at him.
He is survived by his wife Marta Matarrita, his daughter Giselle and her husband Bert Guiberteau, grandchildren Erika and Monika Guiberteau, three brothers Jose, Cecilio and Jose Miguel, two sisters Maria and Magdalena and numerous nieces and nephews who loved their “Chabelo” very much.
He was preceded in death by his parents Jose and Maria Silvia, two sisters Vitalina and Julia, and brother Fermin.
The family would like to sincerely thank his nurses Kimberly, Gelisa, Shelly, Katelyn and everyone at Audubon Hospice Care for taking such extraordinary loving care of Jose in his final days.
Visitation will be at Garden of Memories Funeral Home, 4900 Airline Drive, Metairie, LA. 70001 on Friday, December 9, 2022 at 10:00 AM, Rosary at 11:30 AM. Funeral Mass and Burial will be private.

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