Jose Luis Mendoza Loredo

JOSE LUIS MENDOZA LOREDO

Iowa City

Jose Luis Mendoza Loredo, 66, of Iowa City, died Friday, March 25, 2016, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics following a long illness.

A visitation and time to greet his family will be Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City. Funeral services will follow at the funeral home at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Diabetes Association.

Luis was born June 10, 1949, in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, the son of María Guadalupe Guillermina Loredo Murphy and Lázaro Mendoza Lopez. Growing up in Mexico, he studied modern dance and law at la Universidad de Guanajuato.

Luis was an adventurer and a self-described hippie. He traveled widely throughout the United States, including stops in Miami, New Orleans and Berkeley, Calif., enjoying everything the American counterculture had to offer in the 1970s. In 1971, Luis landed in Iowa City, attending classes at the University of Iowa in the many subjects that interested him, and learning the English language by auditing courses at the UI College of Law. He worked at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and several area restaurants and bars.

Luis was very active, and in his youth enjoyed playing fútbol (soccer) and basketball. Many remember him riding his bike all over Iowa City in any weather. He begrudgingly accepted American football and cheered for the Hawkeyes.

After a more than 30-year relationship, Luis married Paula Bissell on Feb. 4, 2013.

He is survived by his sons, Daniel Bissell (Jennifer Schubert) of Coralville and Dylan Mendoza of Marengo; former spouse, Meleah Mathahs of Marengo; his mother, Ma. Guadalupe Guillermina Loredo Murphy of Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico; brothers and sisters, Miguel Angel Mendoza Loredo, María Magdalena Mendoza Loredo, Juan Manuel Mendoza Loredo and Ma. Guadalupe Mendoza Loredo, all of Leon, GTO, Mexico; and many aunts, uncles and cousins, all of Mexico.

Luis was preceded in death by his father, Lázaro Mendoza Lopez; his wife, Paula Bissell in 2014; and a brother, Lázaro Mendoza Loredo.

Thoughts may be shared with the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.