Vivian Gabica "Viv" Mendieta

Vivian "Viv" Gabica Mendieta Viv was born to Francisco Gabica and Marcelina Bengoechea Gabica in Winnemucca, Nev. on April 22, 1931. She passed away on May 7, 2008 at the Canyon West Care Center in Caldwell, Idaho at the age of 77. She was born the third of five children and reared on the Rock Creek Ranch at Orovada, Nev. She attended grade school at Orovada and lived in Winnemucca during the school months to go to high school, where she graduated from Humboldt County High School. She then moved to San Francisco to attend Beauty College. At a very young age she helped care for her little brother, John when their mother passed away. She married Las Mendieta on Oct. 15, 1952. They had a son and a daughter while residing in Winnemucca. They moved to Jordan Valley, Ore. for a few years and then returned to Winnemucca where she worked for the Nevada Telephone Company for many years. She retired and moved back to Jordan Valley when they purchased the Circle Bar ranch on South Mountain. She will always be remembered for her good Basque cooking and that no one ever left her table hungry, there was always an extra bed to spend the night. Viv was preceded in death by her father and mother, and a brother Frankie. She is survived by her husband Las and son Frank of Jordan Valley, a daughter Lisa and son-in-law, Tom Burke of San Martin, Calif. A sister Angela Mentaberry and brother Phil Gabica of Winnemucca, and a brother John and sister-in-law Gene Gabica of Emmett, Idaho. She was a loving and caring aunt to numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews and cousins. At her request there will be no funeral services. It was Viv's desire to be cremated and have her remains scattered over the Rock Creek Mountain. At a later date a celebration of her life may be held along the creek