Beckie Mendez, wife of councilman, dies at age 58

NORWALK - Beckie Mendez, the wife of Norwalk councilman Mike Mendez, died Jan. 10 after a four-year battle with cancer. She was 58.Funeral services were held Thursday morning at St. Linus Catholic Church, followed by interment at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier. Rischer Mortuary handled services. Family members did not comment and requested privacy. Born in Bell on March 22, 1954, Mendez had recently returned home after traveling to New York for treatment. She was initially diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to other parts of her body. In addition to her husband, she is also survived by her daughters, Lauren Marie (Joseph Anthony) Hernandez of Santa Fe Springs and Lindsay Michelle Mendez (Michael Aaron Borth) of New York, and her son, Michael Kyle Mendez of New York; brother David Lee (Juanita) Rifkin of Henderson, Nevada and her nieces, Valerie Lee Condie of El Dorado Hills, Ca. and Disa Lee Rifkin of Dublin, Ca. and her nephew, Devin Lee Rifkin of Sacramento; her mother-in-law, Sara Mendez of Norwalk, her brothers and sisters-in-law, Mario Mendez, Eddie Mendez, Sandy Mendez, Ralph Mendez, Tony Mendez, Mark Mendez and Maria Wiest and many other nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requested contributions to a scholarship being established in Mendez's name.

********** Published: January 17, 2013 - Volume 11 - Issue 40