Brookline woman who was hit by State Police cruiser remembered for her ‘warm smile, kindness, and giving spirit'
Born in Baltimore on Jan. 17, 1939, Mendez graduated from Robert R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia in 1957. She moved to Boston the following year, where she and her husband Rafael raised their six children. The family moved to Brookline in the summer of 1977, according to
'Margie was a lover of sports,' her
In November 2020 Mendez
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'I feel great,' she told the Tab. 'I've been voting for 63 years.'
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Mendez, described as a 'beloved matriarch,' was 'running errands in Chestnut Hill' when she was struck in a crosswalk by a state trooper, according to the GoFundMe page that was set up by her family.
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The Globe reported that it happened at the
'The impact left her in critical condition with multiple skull fractures, rib fractures, a shattered ankle, a massive brain bleed and traumatic brain injury,' the GoFundMe page stated. 'She was immediately rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency brain surgery. Two days later we celebrated her 86th birthday at her bedside in the ICU. Although she wasn't able to blow out her candles, she was surrounded by love on her special day.'
The incident 'remains under investigation,' said David Linton, a spokesperson for the Norfolk District Attorney's office. The State Police referred comment to the district attorney's office.
'All who knew Margie will miss her warm smile, kindness, and giving spirit,' her obituary stated.
Emily Sweeney can be reached at
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