Vivian Ziegler

1920 - 2016

VIVIAN ZIEGLER Vivian Larson Ziegler, aged 96, passed peacefully at her home Tuesday, October 18, in the company of family after a life filled with grace, kindness and concern for those around her. She enjoyed a life-long passion for people, history, art, travel, politics, and especially her family and friends. Born in 1920, Vivian was the fifth and last child born to Anna Elizabeth and Louis Larson at the family home in Bayside. Louis arrived on the Northcoast in 1888 from Varmland, Sweden, and was followed by Anna who was from Smaland, Sweden in 1900. The family hosted Swedish relatives and friends as Vivian was growing up on Fickle Hill, and continuing visits of relatives over many decades were among her great joys. She attended Arcata schools, graduating in 1937 from Arcata High School and played clarinet in the marching band at the dedication of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937. Vivian then went on to Humboldt State Teachers College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a teaching credential, graduating in 1941. While a student, she directed a drama production at the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition at Treasure Island in 1939. Vivian's teaching career began that year at Patrick's Point School and continued at Pacific Union School where her great passion was teaching kindergarten and exploring new educational techniques until she retired in 1975. Vivian met her husband of sixty years, William "Bill" E. Ziegler, at Humboldt State and they were married in 1942. Bill died in 2002. Together, Bill and Vivian enjoyed many common interests together including gardening, art - sketching and painting together; and they traveled extensively across the United States and around the world. Over the years, she earned many awards for her flower arrangements and cultivation of beautiful rhododendrons. She and Bill especially enjoyed friendships around gardening, politics and travel. They shared an active passion for Democratic politics throughout their lives, and Vivian fondly remembers seeing President Roosevelt in Colorado Springs in 1942 - voting for him as her first vote, and some 50 years later she also met President Clinton at the White House. She cast her last vote for Hillary Clinton. She was preceded in death by her siblings Rudolph, Laverne, Juanita and James Larson. She is survived by three children, Jeffrey and Joel of Arcata, along with Jay and her daughter-in-law Carri Ziegler of Davis, California. She is also survived by nephew Lincoln Steffens of Calgary, Canada and his family along with seven Ziegler grandchildren: Milo of Seattle; Morgan and his wife Jennifer, and great grandson, Jordan of Olympia; Amelia and William of Davis; Erin and Sianna Ziegler; and Dulce Ziegler of Eureka, her fondest companion in recent years. She enjoyed her last visit on Monday with Dulce, second cousin Julie Villegas and her husband Richard. As Vivian passed, she noted, that she feels quite grateful that there are people she remembers dating from 1888 in Arcata's colorful local history - especially from Fickle Hill and Arcata. Benefitting from a remarkable memory and style to her final days, she recently documented her family's migration from Sweden and has articles pending publication in the coming months in the Humboldt Historian. She and our family are very grateful for the loving care of her caregivers in the past year. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be directed to Hospice of Humboldt County, the Humboldt County Historical Society, the Humboldt County Library Foundation, and the Humboldt Botanical Gardens Foundation. We will miss Vivian tremendously and a celebration of her life is planned for the Thanksgiving weekend in Arcata. Please sign the guestbook at www.times-standard.com