Ramon Tomas Ysursa

Ramon T. Ysursa
1920 - 2015
Ramon Tomas Ysursa entered and departed this life on the same day exactly ninety-five years apart on January 21. Six blocks separated the place where he was born from where he died in Boise. In between those boundaries of time and space, he lived a quiet, full life of dignity and service. He passed on surrounded by his family.
Born in 1920, his childhood was spent in the heart of downtown Boise, being raised at the "Modern Hotel," one of the many Basque boarding houses of the era. He attended the old Central School (which was behind the Capitol building) and graduated from Boise High School in 1938. When World War II came in 1941, his military service in the Army Air Corps took him across the United States and halfway around the world to the islands of the South Pacific where he flew in squadrons of B-29s, surviving several close calls in battle. In the 1940-50s he was married to Margarita Bilbao, and from that union four children would be born. After the war he worked at the family-owned "Valencia" restaurant and Basque boarding house. In 1961 he married Begonia Ormaetxea in the Basque Country and from this union he had two more children. He later went on to work at Ada County as a deputy clerk and liked the "crew" so much he retired in his 80s. All the while he could always be counted on as a friend, interpreter, and go-to contact for many Basque immigrants. He was a Legacy member of the Basque Center, where he enjoyed many hours playing cards with friends. He was a member for many years of the Elks [BPOE], Basque Museum and Cultural Center and St. John's Cathedral, and an honorary member of the TV western and classic movie viewing hall of fame.
For all who knew Ramon (Ray) he was a humble, kind, caring and loving man. He was a self-described "jack of all trades and master of none" always willing to help. While traveling to visit family and friends throughout the United States and the Basque Country, his favorite place always remained the capital city of Idaho. His pride and joys were simply his family and Boise.
He was preceded in death by his mother Asuncion and father Benito, his sole sister Ruby Basabe, and son Nicolas. He is survived by his wife Begonia, and his children Pilar (Bob Steele), Bernard (Patty), Ben (Penny), John (Jenny) & Ellie and daughter-in-law Ruth Ysursa-Gibson, twelve grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren - "pretty good a'bunch".
There is a public viewing at Cloverdale Funeral Home from 5-6PM Sunday, January 25, 2015 and then a Catholic funeral mass will be held at his long-time parish St. John's Cathedral, Monday, January 26, 2015 at 10:30AM. Burial will follow at Morris Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to: Nick Ysursa Scholarship, c/o Bishop Kelly Foundation.
To share memories with the family please visit Ramon's memorial webpage at www.cloverdalefuneralhome.com.