Lena Bozanich

LENA BOZANICH

January 11, 1940 - February 1, 2026

Lena (Zamberlin) Bozanich passed away in Bakersfield, California, at the age of 86 years, surrounded by family. She was born in 1940 on the island of Vis, in the town of Komiza, Croatia, then known as Yugoslavia. As a child, her family was forced to evacuate the island due to military conflict and found themselves relocated to a refugee camp in Egypt, where they spent three years, followed by a short stay in Italy. Sponsored by a relative, her family then immigrated to San Pedro, California.

One of her proudest moments was the day Lena acquired U.S. Citizenship when she was fifteen. At the age of nineteen, she married Nick Bozanich, Jr., and moved to Delano, as a farmer’s wife. Ten months later, their first child was born, followed by the births of three more children.

As the true definition of a homemaker, Lena was the glue that bonded her family. Always involved with her children’s schools, she was a member of the PTA, Women’s Club, American Slavonic Social Club, and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Her duties as wife, partner, and bookkeeper extended throughout each business endeavor from farming to real estate investing. After sixty-four years of marriage, Lena lost her soulmate. Faced with health issues, she moved to a lovely assisted living facility in Bakersfield, where she discovered new acquaintances and lovingly reconnected with old friends from Delano. For almost two years, her companions and the staff at Ivy Park at Seven Oaks catered to “Miss Lena” and accommodated her every desire; for that, we are eternally grateful.

Lena was predeceased by her parents, Vinko and Lukrija Zamberlin. Left behind to cherish her memory are her sister, Maria Lang, her brother, Mathew Zamberlin, and four children: Marianne Kovacevich (Kenneth, Jr.); Lucricia Chechak; Nick Bozanich (Kimberly); and Vincent Bozanich (Elaine); along with six grandchildren, two great-granddaughters, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial services include a Recitation of the Rosary and Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 12300 Reina Road, Bakersfield, CA, followed by her entombment at Hillcrest Memorial Park & Mortuary, Serenity Mausoleum, 9101 Kern Canyon Road, Bakersfield, CA. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to Lena’s favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.