Ed and Dolores Cardoza are part of the fabric of Manteca after being married for 60 years. 

The community is their home and it is where they have had their children, working hard to support them and make the community a better place throughout their six decades in business from the small Ed’s TV repair shop on West Yosemite Avenue to owning a furniture and television store to developing several shopping centers in town.

Ed and Dolores are not only a success story in their marriage but in business as well.

A guest list of 150 friends and family members gathered recently at the River Mill in French Camp to mark their successes that were launched with their wedding in 1955 at the old wooden St. Anthony’s Church on corner of Yosemite and Sherman avenues just east of the downtown.  That church was replaced in 1964 after a fire had destroyed the building several years earlier.

“I still have my wedding dress and it’s as white as it can be,” Dolores noted recently from their office lobby at Cardoza Enterprises on North Main Street. “I just put it in a clear plastic bag.”

She was ecstatic that all of their wedding party members were able to attend their low key anniversary party, with the exception of John King who had passed away.  One bridesmaid, Lucille Beebee, had traveled the farthest from Tennessee, she added.

In addition to Beebee and King the other members of the bridal party included Mary Lou Richmuth, Mary King, Dorothy Martin, Vince Indelicato Tony Martin and Larry Alves, Dorothy’s brother.

Chuckling, she added that as wedding favors they had purchased cartoon cookies from a special San Francisco bakery. After that they honeymooned in Monterey driving a light cream colored 1951 Buick.

Telling about a game of marbles in a school playground years ago, their godson Robert Indelicato brought laughter to the celebration.  He and Cardoza’s son Eddie were about seven years old when they learned the game well and challenged Ed to a game – beating him.

Ed and Dolores had two children Ed Jr. and Linda, seven grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and more to come, she quipped. 

Both Ed and Dolores have a full daily schedule throughout the week, working together with son Ed to run their shopping center operations.