Mercedes, named for an older sister who died in 1889, was the 8th child born to Carlos del Carmen Alviso and Eutimia Buelna.

Louis Lenzi, father of Mercie's first child Juanita Louise Lenzi, died suddenly when baby Juanita Louise was barely 6 months old. Mercie married Alphonso "Allie" Vargas about a year later at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Hollister, San Benito, CA.

Allie and Mercedes had 5 children during the next 11 years: Rosa, probably born in Madera County as was Eleanor; Allie "Fred" was born in Merced County; another son was born in Santa Clara County and died as an infant; daughter Evelyn was born in Merced County and died 7 yrs later in San Francisco, CA.

Mercie lived the last two years of her young life with her family in Madera and is buried in the same cemetery with her mother and several siblings.

During Mercie's illness and after her death her daughter Juanita Louise lived in Merced with a foster family while the other children continued to live with their father in the San Jose area.

Bio provided by Sheila Ruiz Harrell

Obituary, Madera Mercury News Wednesday, June 27 1923
Mrs. M. Vargas Passes Away
Mrs. Mercie Vargas, aged 34 years, died at the home of her brother, Frank Alviso, Monday night. She is a native of Monterey county, California, and came to Madera two years ago. She leaves to mourn her passing five children: Juanita, aged 15; Rosie Iren, 9; Eleanor Ida, 7; Freddie, 6; Evelyn, 4; three sisters, Mrs. P.F.Moreno and Mrs. V.S.Ruiz, of Madera, and Mrs. Z. Higuera of Oakland, three brothers, M.C. Alviso of Long Beach, F.M. Alviso of Madera and Albert Alviso of San Francisco. Funeral services will be held this morning at 10 o'clock from the Jay chapel. Interment will be in Calvary cemetery.

Obituary provided by Mary Sholler, Historical Preservationist, California History and Family Research Room
Madera County Library