Carmen Arroyo Mendoza died Friday, May 29, 2015 at Scenic Mountain Medical Center in Big Spring, Texas. Her family was by her side when she died. She was 96 years old. Mrs. Mendoza was born April 8, 1919 to parents Carmen and Leobardo Arroyo in Michoacán, Mexico. After the death of her father, she moved to Abilene, Texas with her brother, Frank Arroyo and her mother. Pursing her dream of being a teacher, Mrs. Mendoza graduated from Hardin Simmons University in 1941, after which she became one of Big Spring's first Hispanic educators. She taught first and second grade at Kate Morrison Elementary School in Big Spring, Texas. On February 9, 1946, she married Robert Hernandez Mendoza. In 1950 Carmen, Robert and her two young sons moved to Washington, D. C. In 1990 she and her beloved Robert returned to Big Spring where she spent her later years enjoying a relaxing life with her husband and her pets and continued her lifelong passion of reading and learning new things about the world. In 2003, she decided to move to Parkview Nursing Home where she made many friends. She was especially close to her nephews, Donnie Arroyo of Big Spring, Texas, and Lorenzo Arroyo of Antioch, California, and her cousin Ben Aguirre of San Antonio, Texas. Her survivors include her two sons, Dr. Frank Mendoza and daughter-in-law, Camille of Bend, Oregon, and Dr. Robert Mendoza, Jr. of Huntington Beach, California; grandchildren, Damon Mendoza and wife, Jodie, Lluvia Henneberg and husband, Bob, and Marley Crouch; great-grandchildren, Nova Mendoza, Haden Mendoza, Max Henneberg, Charlie Henneberg, Stella Carmen Henneberg, Uma Henneberg and Elijah Crouch. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; a son, David; and a grandson, Jason. Graveside services are scheduled for 2:30 PM Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at the Mt. Olive Memorial Park Chapel in Big Spring. Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences may be made at: www.npwelch.com,
