Mary Elizabeth McKinley Mendoza

Mary Elizabeth McKinley Mendoza, 67, of Beaumont, died Saturday, December 14, 2024. She was born on November 29, 1957, in Beaumont to Lillian Menard and Joseph Wesley Faul, Sr.

Mary attended South Park High School and graduated in 1976. During her high school years, she was in the French and German club and started on the Sparkettes as a Sophomore and as a senior became an officer. She worked as a papergirl for the Beaumont Journal delivering the afternoon newspaper on her bicycle after school. Also, during her high school years is where she met her first husband Jackie McKinley.

Mary later had her son, Sean, and eventually met her second husband, Leon Mendoza, who also had a son named Leon. They blended the boys into a family and were married for 38 years before Leon’s passing last year from cancer. Throughout their marriage they enjoyed many things together from riding their motorcycles to league bowling and dancing.

Mary became involved in the Boy Scouts of America when she enrolled her son Sean into the program as a cub scout. Before Sean earned his Eagle Scout rank, she began working at the Hearn Scout shop, later becoming the manager for the Three Rivers District. During this time she helped with numerous Cub Scout roundups, popcorn sales, camping trips, merit badge counseling and even running the trading post for the Scott Scout Ranch (formerly Camp Urland). She was also the head of the Eagle Scout review board which she got to do with her son and his wife the last few months. Before her retirement, Mary received the highest honors in the Three Rivers District by receiving the District of Merit award and also received the highest award from the National District as a Silver Beaver.

Survivors include her sons, Sean McKinley and his wife, Angela Elliott-McKinley, of Beaumont and Leon Mendoza, Jr. and his wife, Suzanne, of Granbury; grandchildren, Jacee Elliott, Christopher, Karrie, and Emma McKinley, Cheyenna, Sierra, and Mollie Mendoza, and Angel Jackson; and numerous great-grandchildren; and many friends and loved ones through the years.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents.

Memorial contributions may be made to Boy Scouts of America, Three Rivers Council, 4650 Cardinal Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77705.

A gathering of Mrs. Mendoza’s family and friends will begin 9:00 a.m. with her funeral service at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 21, 2024, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Her interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.