euskalkultura.eus

2024/08/27 - Boise, Idaho, AEB

Boisen errotuta bertakotuta dagoen euskal kultura eta izaeraren adierazgarri zen Mary Lou (Murelaga) Guerricabeitia hil da Boise Idahon, Estatu Batuetan  2024ko abuztuaren 27an.

These lines have been published by her son Joe on social networks:

Mary Lou (Murelaga) Guerricabeitia passed away on August 27th, after battling a series of ailments.

You may know her as my and my sisters Angie Guerricabeitia Luke and Lisa's mother, as a teacher (40+ years of primarily 1st graders), as a musician, (accordion, guitar, spoons; essentially anything that makes noise), as a story teller, as a Basque, and really as a nexus of bringing together people, causes and things. Everything from card writing campaigns, visiting the sick, teaching song and music to little Basque children and even presiding as the President of the Hyde Park Association in the 1980's, helping to shape the Hyde Park of today, Ama did.

Even before meeting my father, Jose Maria, she had traveled to the Basque country multiple times, and lived as a single woman and a teacher in both Hawaii on the Big Island, and just outside Portland, Oregon in Beaverton. Boise was always home and she came back to be near her parents, her culture, her family, and her friends. By the time she met Aitxe she owned her 1st house and a parcel in the mountains, for a future cabin. This was impressive by any standard, but particularly so when you consider her father, Justo, had to co-sign, simply because she was an unwed woman!

Mom was introduced to my Dad (Jose Maria 'Joe' Guerricabeitia Arriaga) on multiple occasions and the two began dating, travelling back to Euskadi to meet Dad's family and parents, and visit and meet the family of Aitxitxe Justo

Eventually Mom and Aitxe married at St. Mary's Catholic Church, here in Boise, ID, raised three (3) kids and built a small rental empire, while Mom taught and did all of the accounting, finance and business side of things and Dad worked in a trailer factory and then became and worked as an electrician. Upon the death of Aitxitxe Justo Murelaga, Mom's dad, my Aitxe moved to full-time management, repair and remodeling of both my parents and grandparents rentals.

When Aitxitxe Justo died, Mom made sure Amuma Angeles was looked after. Since mom was the youngest and having married later in life (30! [????] , I and my siblings largely had Amuma to ourselves with older cousins going off to college or living out there lives in WA and CA. Mom's love for Amuma poured through all of us and that couldn't be more true than between Amuma and Dad...When people joke about mother-in-laws not getting along with son-in-laws, I don get it, because that is not what I saw. Amuma loved Aitxe just like she loved Mom and vice versa.

I could go on and on, just like Mom (we both have that gift of gab when the company, occasion and circumstance moves us), but there are no amount of words that could describe everything she did. Mom was a BADASS. She'd also give you the shirt off her back. She was funny, even in her final days, and still telling us what to do (of course!).
...I am realizing I have had a hard time writing just about Mom, but its because she touched so many lives, including, obviously, my own. Mom didn't exist in a vacuum, nor did her deeds. She worked with, for and lead others, while also forging ahead solita (sometime to my chagrin). I will miss her love for me, her music, her tenacity and her spirit, even though that same spirit, reflected in me, sometimes put us at odds.

I love you, Amatxu and miss you already, dearly. As her favorite saying goes:

Because they were we are/Izan zirelako gara;
Because they are we will be/Garelako izango dira
Because of you, I am, Ama. Maite zaitut.

(heriotz-oharra, lortu bezain azkar argitaratuko dugu)

Goian Bego (GB) - May she Rest in Peace