Nyla Zender

1942 - 2025

Nyla Jane Zender was born in Mayville, North Dakota on 12/11/42 to Loren Evans, a Math Teacher and Superintendent of Schools, and Nellie Evans, a teacher and Librarian. Nyla graduated from High School as co-valedictorian and then moved to California with her parents, where she continued her education at California State University Fresno (CSUF) earning a master's degree in Microbiology and receiving her teaching credentials in multiple subjects, including Biology and Chemistry. Nyla also worked as a hospital Medical Technician and taught several Biology Labs at CSUF.

Nyla spent a lot of late nights at CSUF, and that is where she met her husband, Michael Zender, who was a Physics Professor. Nyla and Michael married on 04/25/69, and they had two children, Sarah and Mark. Nyla was very active in her children's education as well as extracurricular activities, and the family spent many weekends fishing, crabbing, clamming and exploring tide pools in Morro Bay. Nyla realized that she had a calling to work in education like her parents, and she worked as a Teacher's Aide at Gibson Elementary School while her children were young. Nyla also practiced her faith by attending services at St. Paul Newman Center, where she ran the Children's Liturgy for several years. During that time, Nyla gave back to her community by becoming an active member in the League of Women Voters, where she would eventually serve two terms as President, and engaging in charity work for the Poverello House.

When Nyla's children were older, she began teaching full-time at San Joaquin Memorial High School, where she taught AP Biology and Chemistry and served as the Faculty Advisor for the California Scholarship Federation (CSF). Nyla loved teaching, she loved her students, and she dedicated herself to supporting them, challenging them and ensuring that they had the tools to follow their dreams. Nyla was beloved by her students, which was evident by the numerous thank you cards she received throughout the years.

Nyla retired from teaching on 05/28/08 and then spent time traveling with Michael and friends as well as family members. Nyla and Michael traveled extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, South Africa, Canada, Mexico, South America and Central America, and Nyla took a cruise to Antarctica, where she fell in love with penguins. Nyla and Michael also spent their retirement years vacationing at their time shares in Avila Beach, visiting with their children, attending plays at Roger Rocka's and Second Space, and Nyla attended numerous major league baseball games with family members.

Nyla was a loving, charming, intelligent, strong-willed, inspiring and selfless woman who was committed to her family, friends, faith and community, and she made the world a better place through her grace and strength. Nyla passed away on 10/01/25, at the age of 82, and she will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Nyla was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings, Arlyce, Loren and Cheryl, and she is survived by her beloved husband, Michael, her daughter, Sarah, her son, Mark, and her son-in-law, Brett. Nyla's memorial service will be held on 12/04/25 at 10:00am at the St. Paul Newman Center, located at 1572 E. Barstow Ave. Fresno, CA 93710, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the League of Women Voters at https://www.lwv.org or the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust at https://riverparkway.org.