Victoria "Vicki" Lee Zander

A lifelong resident of Fresno, California, Vicki passed away on February 21, 2014, at age 70 after a six-year battle with Ovarian Cancer. She was born on October 30, 1943, to Victor Leon Kuhn and Marie Marian Gross. She was a 1961 graduate of Roosevelt High School where she was the Senior Class Cheer Leader.

Early during her high school years, the love of her life found her. She and Larry Allen Zander were eventually married on June 30, 1963. As husband and wife for over 50 years they shared many happy occasions, particularly the births of their children and grandchildren.

After completing a two-year Associate in Arts Degree at Fresno City College, she quit her formal schooling to marry and begin raising a family. When her two children became of school age, she entered the work force with the Fresno Unified School District as an elementary school nurse's aide. She spent all of her career with the district. Most of these years were at Heaton Elementary School as a School Office Manager from 1976 to 2001, and many years at Lincoln Elementary School as a Student Body Fund Developer from 2001 to 2014.

Among her many interests, the grandchildren were at the top of the list. They were the centerpiece of her life for her last 17 years. She quickly became known as "Oma". She was very much loved by her family, and will be deeply missed. Knowing now that she is now safely in the hands of God provides comfort to all.

She also enjoyed her family summer vacations. With the families of her two daughters she looked forward to our annual summer week long vacation while staying in beautiful ocean view homes along the central coast of California. Carmel and Cambria were her favorite destinations for these vacations.

As the chief student body fund raiser at Lincoln Elementary School, her enthusiasm for the children, for the work itself, and for the positive feedback she received from the staff all kept her spirits high and her mind off of her health issues in her last years.

She loved to travel with the Tauck Tours Company. Her travels included Europe, specifically to Germany, Turkey and Greece. Travel in the U.S. to New England for fall colors and to the Antebellum South was also at the top of her list. But it was her travel to the Canadian Rockies that she really wanted to replicate.

Although she had earlier taken the vacation tour in the Canadian Rockies with her husband, she deeply wanted to share the same experience with the rest of her family.

The money from the piggy banks of her three grandchildren was invested and enough was accumulated over the years to fund that same Canadian Rockies trip for the whole family. The plan was for this to happen in the month of her 50th wedding anniversary in 2013. But this trip was not to be as the recurrence of cancer canceled this dream. (The family has plans to proceed with this trip in her memory.)

She was an avid reader of books on a variety of subjects. She participated in several ladies Book Review groups and Bible Study groups. She often fell asleep with some book in her hands.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers-in-law, Paul Mueller and Kenneth Zander; and nephew, Matthew Mueller

She is survived by her husband; her children, Stephanie Lee Lozano and Lesli Alison Zander both of Fresno; and her grandchildren, Allison Jade Lozano, Mateo Joseph Lozano and Corin Marie Cruikshank. Also surviving is her sister, Georgia Mueller of Fresno; nieces, Rebecca Cano of Coarsegold and Paula Jordan of Fresno; and nephew, Jeffrey Zander of Shell Beach.

In her behalf the family wishes to express thanks for the staffs of the St. Agnes Cancer Center and the Bright Horizon Hospice Service. With their help and support she set a good example for all and will be remembered as a strong woman of Christian faith.

"And now these remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." - 1 Corinthians 13:13

Visitation will be at the Stephens and Bean Chapel On Thursday, February 27, 2014, between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

A Memorial Service will be held at Hope Lutheran Church on Saturday, March 1, 2014, at 10:30 a.m.

Remembrances may be made to the Matt Mueller Fund at Hope Lutheran Church, 364 E. Barstow Ave. Fresno, CA 93710; the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, 901 E Street NW, Suite 405, Washington, DC 20004; or the Bright Horizon Hospice Services, 6255 Fresno St. Suite 104 Fresno, CA 93710.