Eli Kazer (Beryl Eli Kaser), beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, teacher, environmentalist, Army veteran, and Freemason, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in Fair Oaks, California, on April 11, 2025. Eli was born December 23, 1940, in Wood County, Ohio, to Opal M. Kaser, a telephone operator turned homemaker, and David O. Kaser, a carpenter. Due to the many construction projects underway throughout his childhood, Eli always said he was born in the house he helped his father build. Eli graduated from Troy-Luckey High School in 1958 and joined the Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS). He worked in Westminster, MD, recycling clothing for redistribution around the world and also served as a control patient at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.

In 1960, Eli joined the US Army and was stationed in Fort Knox, Kentucky. His experience logging countless hours testing new Army jeeps led him to quip, later in life, that he was a professional driver. In 1961, he was transferred to Germany where he participated in the secret Davy Crockett tactical nuclear weapons program. He was serving in Germany when the Berlin Wall was constructed and felt privileged to see John F. Kennedy there. He attended Non-Commissioned Officers Training School where he was given the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award and promoted to Sergeant by the age of 21.

After serving in the Army, Eli moved to California, where he worked construction and for the gas company. In 1967, Eli met Virginia, his soul mate and life partner for 58 years. He attended Orange Coast Community College, where he was elected to the student senate. In 1970, he ran for city council of Costa Mesa (with the slogan, “Community. Ecology. Action”), earning the most votes cast per dollar spent.

Eli earned his BA in Government and Communications and his teaching credential at California State University, Sacramento. In 1975, he was hired to teach in the Casa Roble Environmental Study Team (CREST) at Casa Roble High School. In 1976, he transferred to Mesa Verde High School where he taught primarily world history, geography, and American government until he retired in 2008.

Eli was a lifelong nature lover, backpacking, camping, and canoeing throughout California with friends, family, and students. He introduced children to the beauty and joy of the natural world through Woodcraft Rangers clubs in both southern and northern California. Later, he took high school students backpacking and climbing multiple 10,000+ foot peaks. He held a deep admiration for indigenous North American cultures, encouraging others to learn the names of the original peoples who lived on and cared for the land well before “land acknowledgement” became a common practice.

Eli’s love of nature also made him a proud environmentalist, and he strove to live by the motto “Think Globally, Act Locally.” At Mesa Verde HS, he founded the Condor Conservation Club, the first student-run recycling center in the state. He also created a Community Action class, giving students the opportunity to earn credit and learn job skills while working on local environmental issues like recycling, tree planting, and participating in the annual “Creek Week” clean up of Sacramento County creeks. He donated to and volunteered with a variety of environmental organizations.

Eli began getting tattoos after heart surgery at age 59 left a scar that he chose to cover. Over the next 20+ years, his extensive skin art was a frequent conversation starter. The names and birthdays of his children and grandchildren were among at least 20 different pieces that reflected his love of family, the arts, math and science, spirituality, and the natural world.

Eli was curious, intelligent, optimistic, and passionate. As an ardent lover of his fellow human beings, he was enthusiastic to share a conversation on just about any topic, from the latest blockbuster movie to the nature of consciousness. He was a voracious reader, especially keeping up on world politics and scientific discoveries. He had an enduring yearning to reconcile his spiritual beliefs with scientific understanding and was particularly inspired by cosmology.

Eli held a deeply rooted faith that, despite temporary setbacks, humanity was in the process of achieving a higher, more enlightened state of being. He believed that we each have a responsibility proportionate to our own awareness to contribute to that process.

Eli is survived by his loving family: wife Virginia; children Kirk, Catalin, Forest, and Rosanna; daughter-in-law Caroline; grandchildren Shree, Nora, Zaven, and Lucine; siblings Donna and Roger; brother-in-law David; nephews Devon, Denzel, Desmond, Mark, David and John; nieces Dawn, Dara, and Sherry; and Kirk’s mother Janice. He was predeceased by his brothers Warren and David; and his sister-in-law Susan.

He was buried at Fair Oaks Cemetery on April 15th, 2025. A celebration of life will be held in October. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Save the American River Association.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/eli-kazer/obituary/

Copy