Leila Esther Garcia-Melendez Polk

Leila Esther Garcia-Melendez Polk of Houston, Texas was born into this life on January 1, 1920, and was born into eternal life on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 90 years of age. She was born and raised in New York City and went to secretarial school there. In 1949, she became married to Lucius J. Polk IV, whom she met while working with at Los Alamos. Being a military wife, she stayed a while in Germany where Lucius was stationed, later moved to San Antonio, and finally settled in Bellaire, Texas, where she called home.

Leila loved and doted her family much. Lucius was kin to President James. K. Polk, and Leila was proud of her rich family history. She helped organize family reunions in Tennessee. She also was also an avid painter, and created beautiful pieces of her family, scenery and the like. She enjoyed playing the piano, sewing and going to estate sales; as she had much knowledge of antiques. Most of all, she cherished her family and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Leila is preceded in death by Lucius; her two sons, Lucius Jr. ("Lou") and Robert ("Bobby"); and her granddaughter, Rachel.

Leila is survived by her brother Sam Garcia and wife Dorothy of New York, granddaughters Andrea, Amberley and Rebeccah Polk, great-granddaughter Memphis Sayers, and daughters-in-law Marcia and Diane Polk.

The family will host a visitation at The Settegast-Kopf Co. at Sugar Creek, in Sugar Land (Williams Trace Exit), on Sunday evening, August 22, from 6 PM to 8 PM. A celebration of her life will be held on Monday, August 23, at 10:00 AM, in the Morrow Chapel of The Settegast-Kopf Co. at Sugar Creek, 15015 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX, 77478. Interment will follow at Houston National Cemetery, in Houston, TX.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org.)

Special thanks to HCR Manor Care for their loving attention and care for Leila in her later days.