MISSION - Emilia "Millie" Flores, 90, passed away Tuesday, April 23, at Mission Regional Medical Center. She was born in Mission on Oct. 6, 1922 as one of eleven children of Antonio and Juanita Flores.

She graduated from Mission High School before graduating with a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas in Austin. Later she would earn her master's degree. Millie was a teacher. She spent decades in the public school system before retiring from the McAllen Independent School District. She taught Spanish at McAllen High School. She coached students after school. Later she worked with physically and mentally challenged children.

She is survived by her sister, Emma Galindo of Houston; brother, Arturo Flores of McAllen; and 16 nieces and nephews and their families.

Visitation is April 26, 2013 at 9 a.m. Friday morning at Kreidler Funeral home with a service at 10 a.m. Interment will follow afterwards at the family plot at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Mission.

Alejandro "Alex" H. Saenz, 78, passed away Wednesday, April 24 in Mission. He was born May 5, 1934 in Kingsville, to the late Alejandro C. and Julia Mendez Saenz.

Alex is survived by his wife of 58 years, Gloria Saenz; sons, Hector Saenz of La Joya, and Michael R. Saenz of Mission; daughters, Brenda Trevino and Belinda Leal, both of Mission; brothers, Pedro M. Saenz of Kingsville, and Romeo M. Saenz of Corpus Christi; sisters, Alicia Garza of Corpus Christi, and Amparo Villarreal of San Antonio; and eight grandchildren.

His was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Hilda Guerra.

Alex Saenz graduated from Kingsville High School and attended Texas A&I University where he earned a degree in Music Education. In 1963 he became the Head Band Director for the La Joya High School Coyote Band at La Joya ISD. He later earned a master's degree in School Administration from Pan American University. He served as an assistant principal and as the Fine Arts Director for La Joya ISD until his retirement in 1998. He dedicated his life to music and fine arts education, and instilled a love of music in many of his students who still hold great respect and admiration for him. Alex Saenz was an active member of Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in La Joya, since 1963. He was a member of the community prayer group "Comunidades de Base" for twelve years.

Family will receive friends today, April 26, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. at The Lord and I Memorial Chapel in Peñitas. Funeral mass will be held, Saturday, April 27, at Our Lady Queen of Angels at 1:30 p.m. in La Joya. Interment will follow at Valley Memorial Gardens in Mission.

Beverly Ann Miller-Brown, 71 of Mission, passed away Friday, April 12, at a local hospital. Beverly was born on January 15, 1942 in Van Wert, Ohio to Wilson and Betty Miller.

Survivors include her spouse, David Alan Brown; two daughters, Elizabeth, of Bryan, and Rebecca of Panhandle; son, Matthew Brown of Edinburg; two brothers, Richard "Dick" Miller of New Bremen, Ohio and Mark Miller of Middle Point, Ohio. She had 10 grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, in-laws and many close friends.

She was preceded in death by both of her parents.

Memorial Services will be held Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 3 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Mission.

James "Bo" Murry, 54, Mission, (formerly of Forrest County) died April 16, 2013.

Bo was an independent drilling consultant for the past 35 years with J.B. Murry and Associates.

He is survived by his wife, Blanca Murry of Mission; a son, Jamie Murry of Lucedale; a daughter, Keeli Erp of Neely; two stepdaughters, Vanessa Cantu-Calzada and Valeria Cantu both of Mission; a stepson, Angel Cantu of Mission; brother, C. Ray Murry of Slidell, Louisiana; sister, Ann Prewitt of Jackson; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral Services were held Tuesday, April 23, at Funeraria Del Angel in Mission. Interment followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in Mission.

MISSION - James M. Pendergrass of Mission, passed away on April 20. He was born on December 13, 1940, in Wasco, California.

Pendergrass retired from Lockheed Aeronautical Corporation with more than 32 years of service. He served in the United States Air Force in the 1950's and was a member of the American Legion Post #93, in Mission. He was an avid golfer and coached at Shary Municipal Golf course during the summer. He was also the publicity editor for the American Legion, and Shary Municipal and Meadow Creek Golf Courses in Mission. Pendergrass was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Mission.

He is survived by his wife, Cathy Pendergrass; sons, Eddy and Scott; brother, Dave Pendergrass of Las Vegas; sisters, Joyce Eccles of Idaho and Ramona Shores of Texas; and seven grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Donna Baade; his parents, Otto and Helen Pendergrass; and sisters, Florence Kay Pendergrass and Sandra Jay Pendergrass.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, and memorial service at 5 p.m. at Ric Brown funeral home in Mission. Burial will be held April 29, 11 a.m. at Veterans Cemetery in Mission.

MISSION - Epigmenio Ruiz Jr. died on Thursday, April 18, at his residence in Mission.

Ruiz is survived by his wife, Laurentina Ruiz; children, Bertha Marquez, Daniel Ruiz, Epigmenio Ruiz, Mannie Rivera, Juan Ruiz, Maria Hernandez, Pedro Francisco Ruiz, David L. Ruiz and Jesus Ruiz; sister, Maria Barrera; 39 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday, April 22, at Triunfo de la Fe Church in Mission. Interment followed at Valley Memorial Gardens in Mission.

McALLEN - Rogelio "Roy" Sanchez Sr., 64, passed away Friday, April 19, at McAllen Medical Center. He was born in Taylor, Texas to Juan Sanchez and Beatriz Ybarra Sanchez on September 3, 1948.

Sanchez is survived by his wife, Martha Sanchez; children, Roxanne Mendez, Rogelio Sanchez Jr., Robbin Salas; siblings, San Juanita Jackson, Rosa Ortiz, Juan Sanchez, Santos Sanchez, Ruben Sanchez, Eliodoro Sanchez, Victor Sanchez, Jorge Sanchez, Mario Alberto Sanchez; five grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Juan and Beatriz;  sister, Mirella Sanchez; brother, Esbetan Sanchez; and his grandparents, Ramon and Olivia Sanchez.

Visitation was held Monday, April 22, at Ric Brown Funeral Home. A funeral mass was held Tuesday, April 23, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Mission and burial followed at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission.

MISSION - Geraldine (Jerry) Welch Thornton passed away on April 21. Jerry was born in Gadsden, Tennessee on October 5, 1922, the third of seven children born to James and Rosebud Welch. She moved to the Valley in 1927.

She is survived by her children, Walter Brent Thornton, Jan Brashear, John Thornton and Ted Thornton. She is also survived by one sister, Elizabeth Doyle and one brother, William Welch and several nieces and nephews.

Her husband, W.B. "Dub" Thorton, Jr., precedes her in death.

A memorial service was held Thursday, April 25 at Kreidler Funeral Home.