Vivian E. Handel Baze-Merz

1933 - 2023

VIVIAN E. HANDEL BAZE-MERZ

April 18, 1933 - June 15, 2023

Vivian E. Handel Baze-Merz was born to Eugene Johannes Handel and Orina Mettler Handel in Menno, South Dakota. She was the second of 4 children. A rural family farm setting provided her earliest and happy home memories.

The Handel family moved to Shafter in 1946 where Vivian attended elementary and high school. She met and later married Bobby Baze. Their family grew with the birth of daughters Kathleen and Marianne. They moved to Fresno and began farming almonds. Vivian enjoyed farm life and was busy with household duties and child rearing, playing piano for church, teaching Sunday School and entertaining family and friends. She was an active 4-H leader in the areas of cooking, sewing and home economics. She was always busy in the kitchen preparing wonderful meals that were enjoyed by all.

She taught her daughters to cook and was very proud when they took up the culinary torch. Food was an important way to bring people together and time spent around the table was treasured.

In 1969 the family moved to Wasco, where Bob and Vivian continued farming almonds. (Vivian was still out on a tractor when she was 74 years old!) Many celebrations and family gatherings were held at their Wasco home. Grandchildren were treasured and spent many happy times out on the farm with Grandpa and Grandma.

Vivian began working for PG&E in 1977 and retired after 18 years. In 1995 she joined the Brannen & Powell accounting firm and was there for 10 years. In 2008, Bob passed away, and Vivian left the farm life.

She reconnected with former high school classmate and longtime friend, Robert Merz, and they were married in 2014. They had quiet, happy times of shared companionship until the inevitable downturns of health. They moved to The Palms in 2021 where Vivian resided until her death.

Vivian was preceded in death by: husband Bobby Baze, great-granddaughter Jaclyn Chenard, parents Eugene and Orina Handel, sister Evelyn Zeeb, and brother Lawrence Handel. She is survived by: Husband Robert Merz; daughters Kathleen Barnett (Ron) and Marianne Hockett (Brian); grandchildren Stephanie Chenard (Todd Hines), Aimee Wilson (Nathan), Tyler Hockett Baze (Jackie), Zachary Hockett (Kali), Laura Mitchell (Nate), and Melanie Hockett; 9 cherished great- grandchildren; sister Dianne Hlinka; many beloved nieces and nephews; and stepchildren; Stephen (Marcia) Merz, Janet Merz (Jim Bruce) and Eric (Gaylene) Merz. Vivian was a hard worker who valued and loved her family, her friends, and her God.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 9am at the Ebenezer Reformed Church, Shafter CA followed by a service at 10am. Burial will follow. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) or the American SIDS Institute (SIDS.org). Messages to the family and pictures can be sent to petersfuneralhomes.com. The service will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/@EbenezerReformedChurchShafter/streams

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