Carol A. Menezes
1947 – 2025
Los Banos, CA (December 3, 2025) — Carol Menezes – beloved mother and voice for defenseless children, passed away in Sacramento on November 29th, 2025, after an extended illness.
In 1947, Carol Ann Fletcher was born in the Cumberland, Maryland hill country. Beloved by her maternal grandparents, she later traveled with her parents Roy and Oleta ‘Lee’ Fry to Redding, California.
Carol’s father Roy was with the Bureau of Reclamation and helped build the Whiskeytown Dam. Subsequently, he was assigned to the San Luis Dam project, which brought Carol to Los Banos.
She attended both Shasta Union and Los Banos High Schools and pursued pre-medical training at the Los Banos Campus of Merced College.
Carol was married in June 1963 to local entrepreneur/developer Richard Menezes, and they maintained a loving relationship for more than 52 years.
After raising three sons, Carol and Richard began assisting Merced County and Child Protective Services with special needs infants, caring for more than fifty-six children in their home over the years and even adopting one as their son.
The Los Banos Enterprise recognized Carol for her dedicated effort with special needs children in May 1998.
Retiring and moving to the north coast of California in 2007, the couple continued to assist CPS for a number of years, including emergency infant care and consultations with local CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) staff.
Carol enjoyed both fishing and cooking (and occasionally gambling). She was a wiz with film noir/classic movie trivia and played a mean round of Canasta.
Carol was preceded in death by both her parents and husband Richard in 2015. She is survived by sons Montgomery, Morgan, Richard & Jerome, clever daughters-in-law, amazing grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Services for Carol are to be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Friday, December 19th, 2025. Funeral proceedings start at 10am. A local reception luncheon for guests, friends and family is to follow.
Please consider a donation to
CASA of Merced County in Carol’s name.
