euskalkultura.eus

06/05/2014 - Ontario, OR, USA

Dec. 26, 1926-June 5, 2014

(obituary published by The Argus Observer)

Ontario—Jeanne Lacunza Sagasta, 87, of Ontario, Oregon passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at her home in Ontario, Oregon among close friends.
Jeanne was born to Evariste Lacunza and Marie Harguindeguy on December 26, 1926 in Mendive, France. She attended school in France. In 1947, Jeanne married Miguel (“Mike”) Sagasta in Mendive, France. From that union, one child, Marie Lucie, was born.

After World War II, the Sagasta family moved to Argentina. After fourteen years, they moved to the United States, where they made their home in Ontario, Oregon. Jeanne worked for Ore Ida for 28 years and made many friends.

Over the years, Mike and Jeanne spent many wonderful hours fishing and gardening together. Jeanne truly enjoyed knitting, sewing, gardening, and loved the outdoors. She was a wonderful caretaker to family and friends, including Lucy and Juan Egurrola, her husband, Mike and her good friend, Elena Calzacorta.

Jeanne was a woman of faith and very involved with her church (Blessed Sacrament and the Holy Rosary Chapel) and the Altar Society. She also volunteered for such organizations as Little Red House, Meals on Wheels, Food Bank and several others.

Jeanne was very proud of her Basque heritage and was a lifelong member of the Ontario Basque Club. She loved to cook and feed and host people.

Jeanne was a warm, considerate, compassionate and loving person. She enjoyed people and life and people were attracted to her because she was genuine and spirit filled. Almost everyone that met her, said she “was the nicest woman that they had ever met.” She touched many people, young and old. She always had a warm smile and kind words for everyone. She was an angel. She will be very missed.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband Mike (1998), her brother Cadet Lacunza (2010) and her nephew Pierre (1973). Jeanne is survived by her daughter, Marie Lucie, still missing on this day and four sisters, one brother in law, one sister in law and their children: Micheline Lekumberry (Mendive, France) (children - Marie Claude, Therese, Maritxu and Jeanne), Leonie Seoane (Buenos Aires, Argentina) (child - Hector), Monique Arhancet (Juxue, France) (children - Marie Michelle, Jeanine and Isabelle) and Izabelle and Pierre Laco (Juxue, France) (children - Evariste, Martta, Jean and Mirentxu) and her sister in law Kathleen Ann (Montana) (children - Terry Gene, Maurice and Elisa Marie); and very special friends, the Calzacorta and Gastanaga Families.

Jeanne was deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers and support during her lifetime. A very special acknowledgement and thank you to Linda and Jerry Taylor, the Gastanaga family, the Calzacorta family, Heart n’ Home Hospice, MSTI Fruitland, and the many others for their loving care to Jeanne. Finally, a special thank you goes to Dr. Andrew C. Peterson for being her trusted doctor.

A rosary will be said for Jeanne on Thursday, June 12 at 6 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Ontario. Funeral services will be Friday, June 13 at 11 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to charities of your choice, or to the Ontario Basque Club, in Jeanne’s name.