Elisa Mendiola, 72, Woodstock, died Feb. 5, 2016, at JourneyCare Hospice leaving this world with a fight to the very end.
She was born June 14, 1943, in Texas and moved to Chicago.
She was the widow of Jose Mendiola II, who died July 24, 2008.
She made the biggest mark on so many lives and in people’s hearts. She was a kind, amazing, strong, stubborn but most of all beautiful person inside and out. She was one to be the first to give a helping hand, and her famous saying was “Where there is a will there is a way.” She loved cooking for whoever would visit her and enjoyed spending time with all her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend with a strong passion for life and people.
Survivors include her mother, Delia Vasquez; two sons, Jose (Maria) Mendiola III and Al Mendiola (Melissa Nowman); a daughter, Evelyn (Stephen) Garrelts; two brothers, Louis Vasquez and Jose Vasquez; two sisters, Irene Pena and Rosa (Armando) Herrera; 10 grandchildren, Celina (Angel) Torres, Jose (Shannon) Mendiola IV, Eliza Mendiola, John David Mendiola, Alexandria Mendiola, Jessica Mendiola, Stephen Garrelts II, Gabriella Garrelts, Marcus Garrelts and Vannessa Garrelts; two adopted grandsons, Jake and Brock Bernhardt; 10 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and an abundance of cherished friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband; a sister, Erlinda (Eddie) Villarreal; and two brothers, Rueben Vasquez and John Vasquez.
A visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at Schneider-Leucht-Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, 1211 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Christ the King Church, 5006 E. Wonder Lake Road, Wonder Lake.