Fernando Alaniz Ochoa "Fernie" - Coach Alaniz - was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico on February 14, 1972. He resided in Wasco, California and taught high school and coached the varsity boys' basketball team at McFarland High School. He passed away on Monday February 7th alone in his classroom while on his prep period. He was getting everything ready for the upcoming basketball tournament at Wasco High school, his alma mater. Fernando is the son of Sara Ochoa Vento, but was raised by his grandparents/adoptive parents Sara Ruiz Ochoa and Jorge Alaniz Marin. Fernando has many brothers and sisters including Maria del Refugio Alaniz de Velez, Yolanda Alaniz de Diaz, Maria Lilia Alaniz de Contreras, Maria de Jesus Alaniz de Ochoa, Ana Maria Alaniz de Castillo, Jose Cruz Alaniz - Butch, Carlos Ochoa, Miguel Ochoa, Guillermo Ochoa, Pedro Ochoa, Alejandra Vento, Yuralva Jimenez, Juan Carlos Vargas and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. His best childhood friends were Desmond Johnson, Randall Lawrence and Fernando Ocampo. Fernando attended Wasco schools and graduated from Wasco Union High School in 1991. While in junior high at Thomas Jefferson and at Wasco High School he was very active in FFA and athletics. Fernando was very active with the football team and basketball team. When on both teams he was part of both SSL divisions especially in his senior year. After graduation he went to Bakersfield College but left a year later to pursue football and basketball at McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas. He majored in elementary education and later transferred to CalState Bakersfield. Fernando was a student athlete at CSUB and was a student assistant coach part of the Roadrunners Basketball team. While there he changed his major to Criminal Justice and received a BA in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish. He made the Dean's list several times. While at CSUB, Fernando was a member of Delta Zeta Tau. In 2021, Fernando earned his Master's Degree in Computer Science Technology and maintained a 3.95 GPA and earned honor's status by making the Dean's list as well. Throughout college, he was a member of the Southern Poverty Law Center and while teaching at McFarland High school he was a member of the CTA. Fernando was employed by the Kern County Sheriff's Office from 2010 to 2018 and worked in the Technology Division. He worked tirelessly on many projects providing assistance to deputies and various offices throughout Kern County. Fernando met his college sweetheart Christine Marie Hauschildt while attending McPherson College in 1992. They dated from August 1992 until they married in July of 1996. Fernando and Christine married in Wasco and started a family. Their oldest daughter, Sara Alaniz - born 8/9/96 - resides in Los Angeles. Their second oldest child, Samantha Alaniz - 2/28/99 - lives in Wasco and their youngest child Fernando-1/14/03 - attends college at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois. On Friday March 4, a Rosary will be at 12:30 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. The funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM followed by his burial service at the Wasco Cemetery. Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10