NORMA MENDES
Norma Mendes, 98, went to join her Savior on Friday, August 19. A St. Patrick’s Day baby, she was born on March 17, 1924, in Columbus, Ohio, where she lived until she was relocated to Santa Fe in 2013 to be with her daughter.
A lover of people, Norma’s fun-loving, caring and adventurous spirit made her a magnet to people of all ages. She truly “never met a stranger”.
Her early life was devoted to raising her children and helping administer her husband’s construction business. Later in life, at the age of 57, she launched a career of her own. She began as a Market Research Supervisor for a telemarketing research firm and was subsequently hired by the executive search firm Donovan, McCoy, McCruder & Co. There she researched and recruited candidates for client companies representing a variety of industries. From there she was hired as a contract recruiter for Borden, Inc., a Fortune 100 Industrial & Consumer Products Manufacturing Company.
Ambitious and entrepreneurial, Norma later started her own executive recruiting & research firm, Excel Research. Clients included Lane Bryant, St. Paul Insurance Company and Godiva. She accomplished all of these things while caring for a loved one with protracted Alzheimer’s.
To know Norma was to understand her love of Jesus Christ. She was a Deacon and Elder at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Ohio and a member of Christ Church Santa Fe. Her ability to build relationships gave her many opportunities to share her faith. Her example was a catalyst for many women to examine and deepen their own faith journey.
Norma is pre-deceased by her parents, three siblings and her son, Larry Mendes. She is survived by son Errol Younger and wife Sheila, daughter Tana Mendes Bidwell and husband Roy, granddaughters Paula and Tana Younger and grandsons Robert and Bradford Cowin.
A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, September 1st at 11:00AM at Christ Church Santa Fe, 1213 Don Gaspar, Santa Fe, NM. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Coming Home Connections or Operation Smile.
Published by Santa Fe New Mexican from Aug. 27 to Aug. 28, 2022.
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