James F. Mench, Jr.

James Frederick Mench, Jr. passed away October 7, 2020 in Long Beach, California. Born on November 10, 1960 at the US Naval Hospital in Kenitra, Morocco, Jim moved around with his military family until his parents finally settled in Orange, Virginia in 1968.

Jim attended Grymes Elementary School in Orange, graduated high school from the St. James School in Maryland, and went on to graduate with a BA from Catholic University in Washington, DC. Jim spent much of his younger years on the East Coast in various jobs that utilized his flair for the dramatic and a love of theatre and music. He was a proud member of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC for many years. Jim eventually made his way to San Francisco, a city he loved from the minute he arrived. He worked in the Human Resources field for many years, with time spent hiring for several hotel companies and eventually supporting California employers with their worker’s compensation insurance needs through various professional employer organizations. San Francisco was also where he met the love of his life, Chuck. They eventually relocated to Southern California, spending time in Lake Forest and finally in Long Beach. Jim and Chuck were together for over 27 years until Chuck’s passing in 2018. Jim was funny—always quick with a smart quip or a movie line that was just perfect in the moment. He was dearly loved and will be sorely missed by those who knew him.