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The small California farming town of Merced lies 130 miles southeast of San Francisco, providing

access to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and California's central coast. Surrounded by almond groves

and peach orchards, the town slogan is Gateway to Yosemite. An 80 mile drive leads right

into the heart of the famous Yosemite National Park, a remote area of rugged wilderness that

spans close to 750,000 acres. The Merced community is close-knit, with residents enjoying the

range of outdoor activities on offer, including skiing, fishing, hiking, and swimming.

Tree-lined neighborhoods featuring numerous bike paths and parks make Merced an ideal place

to raise a family. From 1967 to 1971, the Stena family lived on a 20 acre farm ranch just

outside of Merced County. Parents Kay and Del had married weeks after they first met and had

gone on to have five children, Carey, Cindy, Steven, Jodie, and Cory.

Del worked as a mechanic at a local page cannery and also grew almonds on the family's farm.

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