Obituary of Carlos Acosta Mendoza

CARLOS ACOSTA MENDOZA

Carlos Acosta Mendoza was born on August 21st, 1938, in Mesa, AZ, to Carlos G. and Hilda (Acosta) Mendoza. The oldest of three siblings and named after his father, he was known as “Junior” to his Arizona relatives. Following his father’s return home from military service, the family moved to Eloy, AZ. Carlos was a good student, boy scout, and athlete and became adept at playing the saxophone. In 1955, he was named to the All-State football team as an offensive lineman. Carlos graduated from Santa Cruz Valley Union High School on May 23, 1956. He attended the University of Arizona and played in the U of A band. Music became a passion and in 1959 Carlos became a member of the pop duo “Skip and Flip,” recording several singles for Brent Records, including “It Was I” and “Cherry Pie” both of which peaked at #11 on Billboard’s Hot 100. As part of Skip and Flip, Carlos was on the world-famous Dick Clark Tour.

In October 1960, Carlos enlisted in the Marine Corps and served two tours of duty.  The first started in September 1961 aboard the U.S.S. General W.A. Mann through the Asian Pacific, including stops in Okinawa, Japan, cold weather training at Mt. Fuji, and the Philippines.  Carlos put his music skills to use while aboard ship, entertaining fellow troops with other Marines in a band they called “The Volunteers.”  Carlos’s second tour, this time to Vietnam, began in 1962 aboard the USS Valley Forge, an aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship. Carlos was honorably discharged in January 1964, moved to Minnesota, and met up with his boyhood friend, Raul Salazar, who had recently moved to Minnesota. Carlos married Sonja Larson, and within a few years settled in the Rosemount/Apple Valley area. Carlos and Sonja had three children, Tony, Laura, and Valerie. During this time, Carlos became a barber and in February 1973 established “The Barber Nook” in Bloomington. Over the next 30+ Carlos developed many lasting relationships with customers and families, many spanning generations.

In 1982, Carlos married the love of his life, Tina Mendoza, who worked at a beauty salon two doors down from The Barber Nook. After a courtship lasting two years, they married.

Throughout his barbering career, Carlos continued performing music and in the 1970s joined the Frank Wagamon Sextet, playing nightclubs in the Twin Cities. The Frank Wagamon Sextet was inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2005, Carlos took the stage with his son Tony’s band, Frank Brownstone, as the band’s sax player, recording several songs on the band’s second album.

Carlos is preceded in death by his father, Carlos Sr., his mother Hilda, his infant brother Ray, and grandson Julian (Kewley). Carlos is survived by his wife Tina of Bloomington; brother Roy of Casa Grande, AZ (and wife Jan); sister Sylvia (Platt) (and husband John) of Chandler, AZ; children, Tony and wife Dawn (Zugay) of St. Paul; Laura (Erickson) (and husband Todd) of Williston, ND; Valerie of Farmington; Scott (Kewley) (and wife Jessica) of New Prague; and grandchildren Grace (Erickson), Lauren (Mendoza), Claire (Erickson), Ana (Mendoza), Cahlin (Kewley), Jayden (Kewley), Brecken (Kewley), and Vivian (Kewley).

A funeral service will be held at The Cremation Society of Minnesota (CSM), 7110 France Ave. S., Edina, MN 55435 Sunday, February 27, 2022 beginning at 1:00pm with visitation at 12:30pm. A short reception will follow.  Carlos will be interred with military honors at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Monday, February 28, 2022 at 10:00am.  Floral arrangements can be sent to CSM, or in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mendoza Open Door (MOD) Fund (https://donorbox.org/mmc-mod-fund-for-access-and-equity) which supports local musicians, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital https://www.stjude.org/).