Evelia Mejia Cardenas' Obituary
Evelia Cardenas: is known to family and friends as Ms.Billie or just “Billie”
Mom was born on August 20th, 1936 in Pleasanton, Texas, She was born to Cecilia Mejia and Antonio Mejia. She lived her childhood in Pleasanton where she went to school and worked as a young teenager until she married our Dad, Manuel Cardenas. Houston and the Greens Bayou area is where they made their home, here in Houston, Texas around 1952. Mom is survived by her Sister, Rosa Fabian and lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. Billie Cardenas is the mother of four children and survived by the following:
daughters: Pauline Strickland (and Husband Steve Strickland), Christina Thompson Keith (and husband Billy Garton), sons: Richard Cardenas (and wife Phyllis Reed), and Roman Cardenas ( and wife Sara Cardenas) grandchildren: Stephanie Strickland Wilkinson and Charlie Strickland, Brian Thompson (and wife Beatriz Thompson) currently residing in South Korea, Timothy Thompson and (wife Wendy Thompson)currently residing in Odessa, Texas; Justin Cardenas and wife Misty Cardenas residing in Chicago, Jeremy Cardenas (and wife Kristy Cardenas), Petty Officer Third Class Dante Cardenas currently residing in Japan, and Alexis Cardenas, Mom had 9 Great grandchildren: Micah and Caleb Wilkinson, Cheyenne and Emily Thompson, Triston, Cebastian, and Crimsyn Thompson, and Oliver Cardenas residing in Chicago and Miss Isabella Cardenas.
Mom loved spending time with her family, especially with her grandchildren and friends. Mom was very dedicated to her church - Our Lady of Fatima in Galena Park, and became a Eucharistic Minister. She volunteered, along with her church friends, Ms. Ann Woytipka, Ms. Matilde Guerro and Jimmi and her husband, and Mr. and Mrs. Wrobleski. cleaning the church every week, which would include ironing the scarves placed on the alters. This group came be to known as the “Breakfast Club”. This group would meet every day at McDonald’s for Coffee as she loved the Golden Arches on Clinton Drive - nothing was better than McDonald's coffee!! She also, worked in Our Lady of Fatima School Cafeteria. She truly loved this job, and the women always had fun preparing lunch for the school children and enjoyed the children giving out hugs!
Another passion Mom had was going to “Resale” shops… if she found a doll that was dirty or just did not have a little dress on, she insisted on taking it home – cleaning it up and making her a little dress. She must of collected more than 100 dolls in her lifetime. Every doll had a place on the shelf and every doll had on a clean little dress and crocheted bloomers.
Mom took pride in her yard and working the landscaping, her favorite was raising roses in her flowerbeds. She did her own yard work until she physically couldn’t do it anymore.
Mom adopted a friend as a bonus daughter, her dear friend Ms. Camilla and husband, Jesse Estrada. Mom loved Ms. Camilla, she was not only a bonus daughter but her hair dresser and would make house calls to keep her pretty and would bring her lunch!!
Mom and her sister Rosa Fabian are quilter's and this hobby has been passed on to all of us girls ... it's in the DNA. Her grandmother loved to quilt as well as her own mother and it follows down the chain! Mom learned embroidery and especially to crochet. Her passion became creating doilies and loved to copy a new doily she had not made before.
Another hobby that mom loved was going out to eat and anyone that knew her - knew that KimSon was her absolute favorite food and she also enjoyed her friends at El Potosino. She was greeted with hugs and little kisses on her forehead or just a tiny kiss on her cheek by the staff at the Restaurants she would frequent. We want to take a moment to say “Thank You” for treating her as a “Princess” as she walked in the door. She loved the hugs, greetings and keeping up to date with old friends.
Mom will be missed by so many but our memories and life lessons will live on. We Love You Mom.
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