Vivian Verda Wegis

1922 - 2025

VIVIAN VERDA WEGIS

November 13, 1922 – October 13, 2025

Vivian Verda Wegis, beloved matriarch of the Wegis, Young, and Etcheverry families, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2025, in Bakersfield, California, surrounded by her family. She was 102.

Born Verda Vivian Wheeler on November 13, 1922, to Fred and Dorothy Wheeler, she always went by Vivian. The youngest of four children and the only girl among three older brothers, Kenneth, Keith, and George, her early life was marked by hardship and instability. Rather than allowing her difficult childhood to define her future, she made a conscious choice to break the cycle and build a legacy rooted in love, faith, and family. This decision would shape four generations and become the foundation of a remarkable family story.

Vivian's first love story began on a dusty playground in rural Kern County, circa 1932, when a boy with a big head and big ears named Ken Wegis stood up to a bully named Billy on her behalf. From that moment, a lifelong partnership was born. They married young and, as Vivian often said, "We put each other first. We were so young when we got married that we always said we raised each other." She was Ken's biggest champion as he developed land in Buttonwillow and on the Semitropic Ridge to become the farmer he was destined to be. Ken preceded her in death on October 11, 1995, and she passed just two days after the 30th anniversary of his loss. At age 90, Vivian found love again, marrying Doug Stone, with whom she shared a joyful companionship until his death in 2020.

Together with Ken, Vivian built more than a successful farming operation, they cultivated a family culture defined by sacrificial love, unwavering faith, and the belief that relationships matter above all else. A lifelong member of the Anglican Church, Vivian's Christian faith was the bedrock of her life and a gift she intentionally passed to each generation. Always dressed to the nines, hair perfect and makeup in place, she lived her values daily.

Known affectionately as "Mom," "Gunk," "Grandma," and ultimately the name she valued most, "GG," Vivian was the glue that held her family together. She was famous for her strength, both physical and spiritual. Growing up the only girl with three older brothers gave her a Wheeler toughness that lasted a lifetime; she was arm-wrestling her grandsons and winning until they reached high school. She loved playing cribbage, a game she'd learned from her beloved brothers Keith and Kenneth, men she admired and loved deeply. Until close to her death, she was still beating most everyone who would take her up on a game. Her quick wit and sassy humor kept everyone on their toes, and her wisdom guided the family through every season.

Vivian believed passionately that "you must let each person shine on their own" and created space for every family member to flourish. She taught that work and play, done together, especially with your family, create the bonds that last forever. Her influence extended beyond words, she modeled grace, forgiveness, perseverance, and unconditional love in ways that transformed ordinary moments into lasting memories. Perhaps her most profound teaching was this: "Don't be married to your land, your assets, or any of your things. As you get older, you're going to find that it has no value in life. The value of life is the relationship you have with your family and those closest to you."

Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Dorothy Wheeler; her brothers Kenneth, Keith, and George; and the love of her life, Ken Wegis. Her legacy lives on through her children, Patti Young (Richard) and Rick Wegis (Mary); her grandchildren, Mike Young (Jennifer), Jeff Young (Melissa), Greg Wegis (Gina), and Jane Etcheverry (Joe); and her nine great-grandchildren, Emma, Halle, Jacob, Aiden, Reagan, Sydney, Kate, Antone, and Bennett, a generation she helped inspire through her example and love.

The family extends heartfelt thanks to those who enriched Vivian's later years with exceptional care and companionship: Connie, her longtime hairdresser, who kept her looking radiant; Lourdes and Bernard at Rosewood Assisted Living, who provided compassionate support; caregivers Alicia and Norma, whose dedication brought comfort and joy; and the staff at Hoffmann Hospice, whose exceptional care ensured peace in her final days.

A private family service will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests supporting any cause that brings joy and strengthens community, as Vivian believed in championing whatever her family loved.

Vivian Verda Wegis chose love over bitterness, faith over fear, and family over everything. She didn't just leave a legacy, she lived one. "Legacy is not about leaving something for people. It's about leaving something in people." Her fingerprints of love remain on every life she touched, and her influence will echo through generations to come.

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