Victor Mentink

July 8, 1933 – Aug. 21, 2017

Victor “Vic” William Mentink Jr., 84, of Davis, passed away on Aug. 21, 2017, of complications from chronic illnesses. His family was with him.

The Celebration of Life will be held at the Davis Community Church, 412 C St., at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, followed by a celebration gathering in the Fellowship Hall. The Rev. Bill Habicht of the Davis Community church will be officiating.

Vic was born at home on the family ranch in the district of El Camino in Tehama County on July 8, 1933. He was the fourth of seven Mentink boys. It was during the Depression and in those days families moved where the work was. The family lived in Westwood in Plumas County; around the start of WWII they moved to Los Molinas, then to the family ranch in Richfield in 1948.

He graduated from Corning Union High School in 1952. Vic was a leader and a stand-out athlete. He lettered in football, basketball and track. In football, he played both offense and defense and as a running back averaged seven yards a carry; in track, he held the record in the 880, which wasn’t broken until five years ago. Vic was student body president and awarded outstanding Athlete of the Year his senior year.

At graduation he had several offers for football scholarships; that summer he went to work for the Southern Pacific Railroad calling cars to save money for college. This was during the Korean conflict and he was one of the first drafted in Tehama County. So it was off to Fort Ord for training, where among other tasks, he completed the Army Field Forces Leaders Course, then off to Korea.

During his time in the Army he was involved in a Jeep accident that crushed his knee, ending his athletic aspirations. Vic continued to love sports his entire life. Anyone who knows him knows he was an avid San Francisco 49er fan and SF Giants fan. He attended Davis High School football games and UCD Aggie football and basketball games until he was physically unable.

Upon returning home, he enrolled in Shasta Junior College where he earned an AA in criminal justice. His parents had moved to Davis and Vic joined the Davis Police Department 1957. While working as a police officer, he attended Sacramento State. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as a sergeant, lieutenant and captain. He was named as police chief in 1980. Vic retired in 1989, after serving 32 years.

Vic can be quoted as saying, “This job is about loving and caring for people and still doing your job.” Vic was proud of his service and dedicated to justice and serving the Davis community. With such a long career he had many accomplishments he was proud of. To mention a few, he was the co-founder of the Davis Arson Bomb squad, he served as coordinator and commander of the Davis Reserves from 1964 to 1980, he was a founding member of the Yolo Narcotic Enforcement Team and he was an instructor at Sac State in police community relation.