Elva Mendez passed away Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, at the age of 81. Service: Mass of Christian burial will be at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Michael Catholic Church. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Forest Ridge Funeral Home, with a prayer service at 6:30 and a recitation of the rosary at 7. Elva was born in Brownsville on Oct. 5, 1930. Her parents, Samuel James Klahn and Maria Barbosa Klahn, preceded her in death. Elva was a longtime parishioner of St. Michael Catholic Church in Bedford, where she was active in the Available Angels, Leisure Years and Prayer Shawl ministries. She was strongly devoted to the rosary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Her life spanned a variety of titles from daughter, sister, wife, mother, floral designer and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD school bus monitor for children with special needs. She was a nine-year breast cancer survivor and participated in the N.E.A.T. cancer program at HEB hospital. She was a longtime member of TOPS where she enjoyed many close friendships and proudly won a victory in achieving her goal weight. Elva was a 1949 graduate of Villa Maria High School in Brownsville. She lived what she taught through her love and compassion for all who knew and loved her. Survivors: Her husband of 56 years, George Mendez Sr.; son, George Jr. and wife, Theresa; daughters, Laura Person and husband, Tom, Noemi "Mimi" Lohn, Doris King and husband, Beau, and Patsy Villarreal and fiance, Peter Carroll; grandchildren, Joseph Thomas, wife, Christina, and sons, Ayden and Zachary, Juliet Jones and daughter, Ava Aguirre, Cameron Mendez, Tyler Mendez, Mallory King, Nathaniel Lohn and wife, Jacqueline, Noah Lohn, Andrew Villarreal and wife, Katie, and Alex Villarreal; her only sibling, Porfiria K. Canul; and many nieces and nephews.