Francis Elizabeth Mendoza Merkley of Coleman died Thursday, November 9, 2006 at Coleman County Medical Center.  Prayer Service will be held Friday at 7:00 p.m. in Stevens Funeral Home Chapel.  Funeral Mass was held 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 11 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Santiago Udayar officiating.  Burial followed in the Coleman City Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

Frances Elizabeth Mendoza Merkley was born December 3, 1953 in Coleman, Texas, a daughter of Santos Mendoza, Sr. and Estella Nunez Mendoza.  She grew up in Coleman and graduated from Coleman High School in 1973.  She served in the U. S. Navy from 1976-1981.  After living in Dallas and Utah for several years, she returned to live in Coleman and was a teller at Santa Anna National Bank.  She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and was a CCD teacher.

Survivors include one son, David Joseph Merkley of Coleman; one daughter, Lisha Elizabeth Merkley of Coleman; four sisters, Gabriela Dela Rosa of Coleman, Terry Dulin of Coleman, Rosemary Alldredge of Early, Margaret Mitchell of Coleman; five brothers, Santos Mendoza, Jr. of Coleman, Cornelio Mendoza of Coleman, Edward Mendoza of Bangs, Ricky Mendoza of Coleman, Benny Mendoza of Coleman; numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Johnny Mendoza.

(Coleman Chronicle and Democrat-Voice, Coleman, Texas, November 14, 2006.)