Katie Sanchez Melendez, 82, of Houston, Texas was called home to be with the Lord on Friday, April 2, 2021. Before she left though, she made her mark here touching many lives. Katie was a mother to everyone she interacted with. She opened her arms and home to friends of her children and grandchildren and treated them like her own. She was there if you needed advice and guidance but will be remember most for the love she provided when you step into her home.
Katie enjoyed vacationing to Las Vegas and Louisiana, as she enjoyed the playing the slot machines. When she wasn’t traveling to the casinos she loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and having family bingo nights. Katie would spend endless hours with word-search puzzles and crocheting doilies.
Katie was born in Houston, Texas on August 26, 1938 to Abraham Sanchez and Guadalupe Perez (Sanchez) Lopez. She married Jose Rodriguez Melendez in 1953. Their marriage of 67 years resulted in six children, Rosemary Melendez (Bernard Garrett), Alice Estrada, JoAnn Islas (Antonio Islas), Delia Melendez (Juan Villanueva), and Joe Louis Melendez, and Mary Alice Torres (Mauricio Torres). During her life, her parents, brothers Daniel Sanchez, Pablo Sanchez, Raymond Sanchez and sisters Patsy Damian and Josephine Cervantes predeceased Katie.
Surviving Katie are her husband and children mentioned above, a sister Mary L. Corpus of Humble, TX, and a brother Tomas Sanchez of Gurnee, Illinois. Also included are grandchildren Rosemarie Garza (Martin), Amanda Lee Garza (Jesus), Antonio Islas, III (Elizabeth), Ralph Lee Estrada, III (Dianna), Lisa Marie Chavez, and Israel Anthony Melendez. Great grandchildren include Damian Anthony Islas, Crystal Lee Estrada, Martin Garza, Jr., Katie Marie Ramadan, Micaela Garza, Ariel Islas, Arianny Islas, Samantha Lee Estrada, Alexis Islas, Ashley Isabell Chavez, and Chloe Lee Garza. Other honorary family members include numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and godchildren.
Honoring the family as Pallbearers are Antonio Islas, III, Ralph Estrada, III, Israel Melendez, Damian Islas, Jesus Garza, and David Corpus.
