Vigil services for Benjamin C. Melendrez, 66, of Lompoc, will be 7:30 p.m. this evening at the chapel of Starbuck-Lind Mortuary. A funeral mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Wednesday at Queen of Angels Catholic Church with Msgr. John Fitzgerald officiating. Burial will follow at Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery.

Benjamin was born June 1, 1940 in Jalisco, Mexico to Salvador and Gudalupe Melendrez. He moved to Lompoc in 1967 and worked locally in ranching for 18 years.

He died Saturday, September 23, 2006 at Lompoc Hospital.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Tillie Melendrez of Lompoc; a daughter, Sylvia Melendrez of Lompoc; a son, Fernando Melendrez of Mexico; brothers and sisters, Evelyn, Hilda, Carrillo, Jose, and Oscar, all of Mexico and Serafina of Los Angeles; and grandchildren, Benjamin, Fernando, Michelle, and Benjamin. He was preceded in death by a son Benjamin Melendrez in 1996 and brothers and sisters, Samuel, Grace, Andres, and Salvador.

Visitation hours will today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the mortuary.