euskalkultura.eus

05/19/2017 - Boise, ID, USA

September 14, 1928 ~ May 19, 2017

Dick was born to Basque immigrants Manuel and Mariana (Iturrieta) Navarro on September 14, 1928, at Barber, Idaho. He attended several elementary schools in the Boise-Meridian area and graduated from Meridian High School in 1946. He attended Boise Junior College from 1946 to 1948, and in June 1948, he began his career at Idaho State Auto Association (AAA). At the outbreak of the Korean War, he was inducted into the U.S. Army, assigned to Battalion S-3, Replacement Training Center, from 1950 to 1952. Upon completion of active duty, he was assigned to a Ready Reserve Military Government/Civil Affairs Unit from which he was honorably discharged in 1957.

On November 7, 1953, he married Inez Elordi, daughter of Gabriel and Virginia (Mallea) Elordi. To this union were born daughter Marne and sons David, Greg, and Todd. They have eight grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

During his 45-year AAA career, he served on numerous national committees, was a board member of Auto Club Insurance Company, Columbus, OH, was a member of the Idaho Highway Users Conference, and a member of the Executive Board of the Idaho Safety Restraint Coalition. In 1970, he became Assistant Manager of Idaho AAA. In 1981, he was elected President and CEO, a position he held until retirement in 1993. In August 1996, Idaho and Oregon AAA merged, and he was elected to the Board of Directors of the newly formed corporation. In March 2002, the AAA building on Denton Street opened and was dedicated in his name, known as the "Navarro" building.

Dick and Inez traveled extensively attending business-related U.S. and international conferences. They sailed on five cruises from the Caribbean to Alaska to the Panama Canal. They visited most of western Europe and were in Germany following the removal of the Berlin Wall. The highlight of that trip was a tour of East and West Berlin, especially "Check Point Charlie," a guard post dividing U.S. and communist Germany. Several visits to the Basque Country brought them together with relatives on both sides. They forever remember their visits to Australia, New Zealand, and numerous visits to Hawaii.

Dick and Inez enjoyed their Terrace Lakes retreat for over 30 years, most notably on Father's Day when the entire clan invaded Terrace Lakes. What memories! Although their time at play was restricted to weekends until retirement, they soon became active in the Garden Valley community and made lasting friendships with other retirees. In June 2003, Dick aced the 16th hole, his first and last hole-in-one.

He was a member and past president of Euzkaldunak and a long-time member of St. Mark's Catholic Church. He is survived by wife Inez; children David (John), Marne Sieber (Rich), and Todd (Tracy); brother John (Gloria); and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by father and mother Manuel and Mariana, sister Maria Teresa, sister Davina Stewart (Gilbert), son Greg (Joann), father- and mother-in-law Gabriel and Virginia Elordi, brother-in-law Robert Elordi, grandson Matt Sieber, and great nephew Brad Stewart.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 7960 W. Northview Street, Boise, ID. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.summersfuneral.com.

(Published from May 20 to May 23, 2017 in Idaho Statesman, Legacy.com)