Carlos F. Mena

Carlos F. Mena, 95, born on September 29th,1929, to Consuelo Reuben de Mena-Solórzano and Luis Mena Solórzano in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, has passed away in Rockville, Maryland on March 5th, 2025.  Carlos, a loving and dedicated husband, leaves behind his beloved wife, Cecilia Mena, his daughter, Gloria Mena Esteves, his son, Carlos A. Mena, his goddaughter, Margarita Streicher (Kevin) his grandchildren Vanessa Esteves Kelly(Sean), Sabrina Esteves Berini (Dario), Kate ‘Pip’ Alden(Jay), Jessica Mena Esteves, Matthew Streicher (Elizabeth) and his great-grandchildren, Benjamin Alden, Lucas Berini, Liam Kelly, Gabriel Berini, Alexandra Alden, Nina Streicher, his brother Danilo Mena, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter Victoria E. Mena. 

Carlos, ever the conversationalist and a fiercely loyal companion, also leaves behind many friends who will miss him dearly. Carlos spent his early childhood in Bluefields, Nicaragua until his parents moved to San José, Costa Rica where his father began to work as the Ambassador of Nicaragua. This is where Carlos had the incredibly good fortune to meet Cecilia Umaña - his future wife of 73 years - at 10 years old while skating at Morazán Park. 

Carlos and Cecilia married on September 13, 1952, shortly after he graduated from the United States Military Academy West Point in 1951. He obtained his Bachelor of Civil Engineering at Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in New York where he and his growing family would live until his work as an Engineer took them to Lima, Peru,and then to Rio de Janiero, Brazil, and finally to Bethesda, Maryland where he worked at the World Bank for many years. 

Carlos loved good food and mariachi music; loved to talk about history, economics, opera, classical music; and was never short on humor when among friends. Those that knew him intimately, however, knew he was a man of many worlds. He enjoyed sitting in his office, simply thinking, as much as he enjoyed being surrounded by friendly faces. His wife,children, and grandchildren can attest to how often in his younger years he’d loudly sing in his best tenor voice ‘FIGARO FIGARO, FIGAaaAaRoOoO!!!’ while taking a hot shower. And one or two of his grandchildren can certainly recall him whipping a comb out, on more than one occasion, and letting them give him whatever hairdo satisfied them. And I know more than one friend can remember getting a call from Carlos when they needed it the most. He has left us all with such wonderful memories and for that we all be eternally grateful. His love, tenderness, humor, kindness, and laughter will be missed and remembered fondly. 

The burial will be held on Thursday, March 13th, 2025, at 11:30am at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Research Hospital, https://www.stjude.org