Luis A. Mendez

Luis Mendez, 93 years old, passed away at his home.  He will be greatly missed by his family and friends who knew him as “Don Luis.”  At his advanced age, it surprised his family when people would come up to him and start talking to him, asking him if he remembered them and it would bring him such joy knowing that they recognized him.  Our father was very old-fashioned, and he was a man of his word.  To him, a handshake was legally binding, and he lived by the law of the land.  He ran away from his home at about 12 years old and he practically raised himself since arriving in the RGV area.  He would tell us stories about his experiences working in the fields with the “Troqueros of the Mid-Valley,” which included, the Cuellar, De la Fuente, Cantu, and Ovalle families, along with Pancho Quesada and Dimas Martinez, who would all agree that our father was a hard worker who took pride in being “el numero uno para el rebote de la cebolla.”  During his youth, he experienced discrimination, such as being chased by the police for bathing in the canals, Anglos knocking down the outhouses on the Mexican side of town during Halloween as a joke, and segregation by being placed in the caboose when riding the train from Weslaco to McAllen.  Our father, having lived such hardships, never gave up and would often say, “echale ganas.”  He also encouraged his family to get an education, vote, and get involved in local politics to help improve the community.  In the end, he died a man loved and admired by his family because as a father he gave his all to guide them to work hard, give alms to God, and always place the family first.  Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. rosary, Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at Guerra Funeral Home of Weslaco – Chapel of the Angels. Funeral service will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at San Martin de Porres Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Highland Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Guerra Funeral Home of Weslaco, Inc., 2602 N. Texas Ave., Weslaco, TX (956) 969-1461.

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