Isidore Camou

1939 - 2020

February 14, 1939 - June 2, 2020 Born on February 14, 1939, in Isturitz, France to Arnaud and Marie Camou, Isidore passed away on June 2, 2020. After serving in the French Army during the Algerian War, he came to the United States in 1961 and milked cows in Chino and San Jacinto until 1966, when he returned to France to marry. In 1968 with his bride, Marie Claire Bidegaray, he settled in Corona to continue milking cows for what was supposed to be a "three year honeymoon" in America to save enough money to return back to the old country. In 1976, he purchased The Farm House Motel in Riverside and raised his family in the business he operated for 32 years. He was so proud to provide his five children the opportunity of an education and to see each one of them graduate from the University of California, Riverside. We often would say that the mountain in the background of the campus had a C on it for Camou. In 2017, he moved to Chino to be closer to his second home the Chino Basque Club and the Basque Community. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marie Claire, sons Francois (Lisa), Alain (Danielle), Patrick (Christiane), Dominique (Vanessa) and daughter Louise Camou. He leaves behind eleven beloved grandchildren Daniel, Juliette, Eric, Elisa, Gabriella, Sophia, Amelia, Cristian, Maylis, Giselle and Adrian Camou. He will be also missed by his sisters Marie Jeanne Curutchet-Etchart and Lucie Begorre, brother-in-law Jean Arretche, sisters-in-law Eliane Camou, Odette Bidegaray (Raymond), Monique Goni (Jean Baptiste), and Christine Bidegaray, and many nephews and nieces both in California and France. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Pierre Leon, sister Marie Therese Etcheverry and brother-in-law Erramun Etcheverry, brother Antoine Camou, sister Josephine Arretche, brothers-in-law Jean Baptiste Begorre, Dominique Curutchet- Etchart, Leon Bidegaray and Jeannot Bidegaray. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the funeral will be private. A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date when travel and large gatherings are considered safe. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to: Chino Basque Club, P.O. Box 1080, Chino, CA 91710 or www.liverfoundation.org