The Mass of the Resurrection for Epifania Melendez, 88, of Portales will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Fri., Aug. 28,2020 at St. Helen Catholic Church with Fr. Francisco Carbajal officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Efram Lujan, Roy L. Courtney, Junior Mendoza, Edel Sotelo, Jr. and Jeffrey Sotelo serving as pallbearers. All of her grandchildren, great grand-children and great-great-grandchildren will serve as honorary pallbearers.
Apifania was born Jan. 10, 1932 in Pilares Chihuahua, Mexico to the home of Margarita (Renteria) and Pedro Alvarez, and died Aug. 24, 2020 in Lubbock, TX. She grew up in Mexico, and first came to the United States in 1966, and made her home in VanHorn, TX. In 1972, she moved to Portales. On Nov. 12, 1974, in VanHorn, she was married to Jacinto Melendez. He preceded her in death in the early 1990’s.
Mrs. Melendez enjoyed crocheting and doing needle pointe, as well as working puzzles of various kinds. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed her beautiful flowers. She also liked to dance. She was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church.
She is survived by three sons, Demetrio Lujan and his companion, Idolina Ramirez of Hobbs, NM, Joel Lujan of Portales and Sam Tayon of Portales; three daughteers, Margarita Courtney, Florencia Mendoza and Eva (Edel) Sotelo all of Portles; 24 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great-grandchildren; and a brother, Martin Alvarez of Wickett, TX. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Santana, Felipe and Pablo Alvarez, two sisters, Elena Gonzalez and Francisca Tarango; and by a son, Alonzo Lujan as well as her husband.
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