Community Gathers to Remember Isaac Mejia

Even after death, Don Pico’s restaurant owner Isaac Mejia was still bringing people together.

Hundreds of San Bruno and Peninsula residents attended his funeral today to remember the life of the selfless San Bruno Lions Club former president.

Hundreds of people lined up outside St. Robert's Catholic Church, then squeezed into every inch of open space. Many even crammed onto the balcony to stay for the service.  Some friends chose to pay their respects to Mejia’s family then leave to make way for others.

“I knew there would be a large attendance,” said the priest as he was giving the prayers. “But it is so touching to see the sampling of the entire community here all together.”

Mejia suddenly died on Sept. 8 in a solo car crash on I-280.

He was not only the owner of the popular and successful Mexican restaurant, Don Pico’s, but also an active community member in the Lions Club who was just named Lion of the Year for his dedicated service.

He also proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps for five years.

“Person after person, story after story they told, showed he how much he helped people and what he did for others,” the priest said during the service.

The priest said that Mejia had “compassion in his heart and his hand, not giving just quarters but a full meal.”

“If you needed somewhere to stay, he didn’t just give you numbers, he gave you a place,” he added. “This man gave himself to anyone.”

Mejia was also an active member of the San Bruno Chamber of Commerce, constantly striving to promote the city’s businesses.

“Isaac will be sorely missed,” Laura Baughman, the former CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, said in the comments on his obituary, route: {:controller=>"announcements", :action=>"show", :id=>"obituary-isaac-mejia-owner-of-don-picos"} -->. “He was the one who encouraged the Chamber to put on the Tastes of San Bruno and was always there to serve up his food from Don Pico's as well as