SECUNDINO "CUNDO" MEJIA JR. FUHS '54

Secundino T. "Cundo" Mejia Jr.
Born: Oct. 28, 1935, La Habra
Died: Nov. 5, 2006
Survivors: Wife, Olga; sons, Jerry, Gary; daughters, Letitia, Charlene, Olga, Lynelle; two brothers; three sisters; 18 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren.
Visitation: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, La Habra.
Services: 9 a.m. Monday, Nov 13, at the church.

Sunday, November 12, 2006
La Habra man found happiness at home
Secundino Mejia Jr., 71, showed his affection for his friends and family through his actions.
By ROBIN HINCH
The Orange County Register

If a movie had been made about the life of Secundino "Cundo" Mejia Jr., it might have been called, "Born Smart."
Cundo was no scholar.
But he had a wisdom about hard work, saving money, rearing children and finding fulfillment in life that others study for years to achieve.
He didn't travel, own a yacht or designer clothes. His name was never in the newspaper society pages.
But he was known to many as a solid, honest, hardworking man with a heart as big as a full moon. And as one to love and look up to.
He was 71 when he died at home Nov. 5 of congestive heart failure.
Cundo was born in La Habra, the 10th of 13 children, in a small house with no indoor plumbing in the middle of fragrant orange groves. He was 7 when he started earning pennies by picking up fallen oranges. And he didn't stop working, in one way or another, until the day he died.
He graduated from Fullerton High School (La Habra didn't have a high school then) and married his wife, Olga. He'd spotted her walking down the street one day and had told his friends, "See that girl? She's going to be mine."
He worked at a Signal gas station at 400 W. La Habra Blvd., that he ended up owning with his brother Frank. Over the next 30 years, the brand of fuel went from Signal to Echo to Exxon. The level of mechanical work Cundo offered remained the same: outstanding.
He did everything. He pumped gas, washed windshields, changed tires, replaced brakes and transmissions. And the station's small office, with its small TV and a refrigerator filled with six-packs, became a gathering place for watching sports and catching up on neighborhood news.
Cundo worked from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with only Sundays off. "This gas station is killing me," he said finally. So he sold it, bought a tow truck and went into salvage work.
He picked up cars from three counties and hauled them to salvage yards, often taking grandchildren with him, to their utter delight. He also towed, free of charge, the cars of many friends, neighbors and family members, day or night.
He used to joke that he'd been in the salvage business all his life, starting with fallen oranges, segueing to recycling aluminum cans and stripping and selling copper wire. Just days before he died he was out back, stripping his wire. He called it his therapy.
Cundo didn't waste anything – not money or food or time.
He and Olga reared eight children in a two-bedroom house, lived simply and saved money. But Cundo wasn't stingy.
He never said "no" to things like pony rides or treats from the ice cream truck. In fact, whenever the musical truck cruised down his street, area kids flocked to his house because they knew Cundo would buy for everyone.
If his kids needed a car, he'd buy it for them or loan them the money – as long as they produced a repayment plan.
He was a strict dad, but didn't yell or swear. He didn't get angry; he went silent. His harshest admonitions were, "Because I said so," and "Are you raising your voice at me?"
The girls had to learn to change tires, oil and transmissions, while Cundo watched, perched on an overturned bucket. But they were also given dance lessons, sports and Girl Scouts. He wanted them to be well-rounded.
Cundo watched who the kids hung out with. "Show me your friends and I'll tell you who you are," he'd say.
That he was the authority figure was never in doubt. "I'm the dad, you're the son," he'd say. "We are not friends."
But his love shone in so many other ways. Through his crystal-clear, piercing blue eyes, filled with affection. In the dozens of Christmas gifts he bought each year and the way he sheltered and guided his children.
For years, saying "I love you" was hard for Cundo. But as his health began to fail, he softened in that regard.
Knowing, perhaps, his days were coming to an end, he stunned a friend by kissing him and telling him he loved him. "Why are you telling me that?" the friend asked.
"I just wanted you to know," Cundo said softly.

Interviewed for this story: Wife, Olga; children, Letitia, Olga, Lynelle, Charlene, Gary, Larry.


Mejia, Jr., Secundino T. "Cundo" was born and raised in La Habra, CA for 71 years. We love you very much: your wife, Olga of 50 years: sons, Jerry, Gary; daughters, Letitia, Charlene, Olga, Lynelle; 18 grandchildren, and 11 great-grand-kids. He also leaves 2 brothers and 3 sisters. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church La Habra viewing 7:30pm Nov. 12, 2006. Mass 9am Nov. 13, 2006.
Published in the Orange County Register from 11/10/2006 - 11/11/2006.