Vivian Louise Mendenhall

Vivian Mendenhall passed from this life to the next on September 6, 2010 after living a long, storied and abundant life. To live in the hearts of the people you leave behind is to not die, but to live on in the kindness they have shown, the comfort they have shared and the love they have brought into our lives. Born in Paris, Texas on December 27th, 1909 to Albert and Allie Conrady, she lived there until she was about 10 years old. Thereafter her family moved several times following the oilfield activities in a number of small towns in Texas and Oklahoma, winding up in Ardmore where she graduated from high school in 1928. Between 1928 and 1933 she worked primarily in downtown Ardmore. Around Christmas of 1933 she met and married Alonzo [Arkie] Lewis and moved to Oklahoma City. Later while her children were in college, she worked at Sears at 23rd and Penn from the day the store opened in 1952 until late 1965, when, after her husband's death, she worked at the County Assessor's office at the Oklahoma County Courthouse providing service to persons who had questions about their property taxes. She was preceded in death by her parents Albert and Allie Conrady and as an only daughter she was preceded in death by brothers: Edward, James, and Thomas Conrady. Additionally, she was preceded in death by her husband Alonzo [Arkie] Lewis in 1965 and second husband Jacob Mendenhall in 1994, both of whom were lifelong employees of Southwestern Bell Telephone. She is survived by a son Robert Lewis, and wife Nancy of Oklahoma City and a daughter Carol Foster, and husband Charles of San Antonio. In addition, she is survived by 6 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She was a member of Memorial Christian Church in Oklahoma City. Her length of life enabled her to in the later years take great pleasure in the lives and achievements of her extended family Memories grow more precious now and as they remain forever blooming in the gardens of the heart. Visitation will be Thursday, Sept. 9, 2010, from 9a.m. to 5p.m. and funeral services will be Friday at 11:30 a.m. both will be at Smith and Kernke, 14624 N. May Ave.