Gudenkauf, Vida Anne Mellor

Vida Anne Mellor Gudenkauf, 66, of Green Valley, Ariz., died Thursday evening, Jan. 14, 2010, at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson from a courageous battle with a rare cancer of the appendix. In accordance with Vida's wishes, her body was cremated. A celebration of her life will be Jan. 30 in Nogales, Ariz.

Vida Anne Mellor was born Dec. 16, 1943, in Monticello, Iowa, the daughter of Charles R. Royston Mellor and Essie Boots Fitzsimmons Mellor. She attended Monticello Public Schools and First Presbyterian Church in Monticello. She married Galen Gudenkauf on July 1, 1961, at Sacred Heart Church, Monticello. They lived in Iowa until 1966, when they moved to Arizona. For the past few decades Vida lived in Nogales and owned several businesses there with her husband, retiring to Green Valley in August 2009.

Vida was a past member and officer of the Nogales Women's Club. Vida was intelligent, spirited, hard working and was deeply loved. We cherish her memory.

Vida is survived by her husband, Galen; one daughter, Jill (Tim) Sweet of Tucson, Ariz.; three sons, Tim (Amy) Gudenkauf of Rio Rico, Ariz., Jeff (Barb) Gudenkauf of Nogales, Ariz., and John (Yani) Gudenkauf of Tucson, Ariz.; eight grandsons; four sisters, Lois (Jack) Livingston of Cedar Rapids, Glady McMellor of Cedar Rapids, Edna (Roy) Kintz of Robins and Dolores McAteer of Marion; and one brother, Frank (Linda) Fitzsimmons of Monticello.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

“And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” - Hamlet, William Shakespeare