Vivian Helene Alpers Beraz

Beloved Mother, including Grand and Great, devoted wife, faithful follower of Jesus Christ and collector of stray humans. She opened her home and heart to everyone.

Vivian graced the world with her presence on April 4th, 1945 in Hayward, California as the daughter of Herbert Anton Luis Alpers & Mercedes Selma Matilda Juengel. Her only sibling, Carl was 10 years older than her. She said she had a normal childhood; a dog, a parakeet and loved playing outdoors with friends. She learned to play the piano and loved to sing.

After graduating from Hayward High School, she moved to Lake Tahoe where she worked several different jobs. While she worked at the A&W Root Beer, she was one of the first people to try Mountain Dew. Another job was at a dry cleaners where she laundered tuxedos for Sammy Davis Jr. and gowns for Della Reese. It was while she was working at a casino that she met a Greyhound Bus Driver named Jerry. She was in her mid-twenties, he was 7 years older than her, divorced, and had 3 daughters. It was quite a lot of baggage, even for a bus driver. But when he kissed her on the steps of the bus she fell in love.

Soon he taught her about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She converted to his faith and was baptized on April 17th, 1971. She remained a dedicated member of the church for the rest of her life. When Jerry proposed marriage, they were standing on those bus steps again, he presented a ring and said “So, will ya or won’t ya?” She said, “I will” and they spent the next 50 years together. Vivian married Jerry on September 17th, 1971. They spent their honeymoon at Yosemite National

Park.

They both loved nature and would take their family on many camping trips there. Happy Isles in Yosemite was her happiest place on Earth. The following June, Vivian had her first daughter Victoria (Vicki). After a few months, they thought Vicki was going to need a playmate and planned for another child. When Vivian was 7 months pregnant with that planned child, the family was sealed together for this life and eternity in the Oakland Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on June 9th, 1973. By the end of July that year, her next daughter, Elisabeth (Liz), was born. However, it was just another 15 months and she gave birth to her first son, Gerald (Jay).

They stayed in the Bay Area for a few more years until Jerry’s work moved them to Washington State. While in Washington Vivian had her second son, Joseph (Joe/Physhie) followed about two and a half years later by the birth of her 3rd daughter, Kathleen (Katie). Then in 1982 Jerry’s work moved them again, to Utah this time. Vivian went to find a home on the Wasatch front in late spring and thought the snowcapped mountains were beautiful. Later that year, she found out how much snow has to fall to make those beautiful mountains. There was record snowfall the winter of 1982-1983 and Vivian was pregnant with her 6th child, so she got a snow blower for Christmas. In May of ‘83, she delivered her last child, another daughter, AnnaMarie (Anna). She would say “I was given all my children for a reason. I just haven’t figured out that reason.”  

Over the years, the friends of her children spent time living in her home for various lengths of time. Some for just a few nights, other stray humans stayed for years. She loved them all and told everyone to “Call me Mom.” Vivian had been an at-home mom for many years, along with selling Tupperware and Avon. One year though, she wanted to buy a VCR for Christmas. It was then that she started working part time to make some extra money. Little did anyone know it would lead to some of her best friendships and favorite place to work, Bowman’s Market in Kaysville, UT. She worked a couple of different jobs there and settled into running the courtesy desk for the next couple of decades. If you bought penny candies from the jars or rented movies in the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s at Bowman’s, you knew Vivian. It made such a big impact on her life that she continued to shop there for years even though there were many grocery stores closer to her home.

On her 56^th birthday she bought a new house in Clearfield, UT and declared, “This is the last time I am moving!” For the next 23 years, she and Jerry became fixtures in their neighborhood. Everyone knew Vivian and Jerry and loved seeing them on their “Wheelchair walks.” The aging couple would ride their wheelchairs to walk their dogs, stopping and talking with anyone that was out, getting to know them and welcoming any new families to the neighborhood. Vivian loved  planting flowers in her yard and Jerry had a rose garden built for her. She loved having family over for birthdays, holidays or any other occasion. We had many Sunday Family Dinners where a lot of her children, her stray humans, grandchildren and great grandchildren would come over for a few hours. Nothing fancy and everyone was invited.

Vivian was an example of taking things in stride. She faced the challenges in her life with faith, kindness and generosity. We can all learn from Vivian’s way of accepting everyone as they are, no expectations.

Vivian passed away at her home on the beautiful Sunday Morning of May 26th, 2024. She has moved on to see again all of those who preceded her in death.

 She is survived by 5 of her 6 children and their spouses, 22 Grandchildren & 10 Great Grandchildren.

“Physhie can fix your ‘puter again, Mom.”

A Graveside service will be held Friday May 31, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. at the Lindquist’s Memorial Park at Layton, 1867 No. Fairfield Road, Layton, Utah. Friends may visit with family prior to services from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 No. Fairfield Road Layton, Utah.