Aja Basilio

Basilio Aja
84, of Buckeye, AZ, passed away unexpectedly on April 5 at his home in Buckeye. He was born in Seligman, AZ, on October 27, 1929, to Manuel and Matilda Aja and was delivered at home by a mid-wife while his father herded sheep on the range. His family followed the sheep down to the Valley of the Sun each winter where he graduated from Glendale High School. "Bass" as he was known to most and "Haytachi" as he was known to his family, married the love of his life, Irene Echeverria on May 30, 1949, he is survived by his wife Irene, daughter Melanie Lanford, son Basilio Fermin (Gigi), son Roy Manuel (Kelli), daughter Rachel Schindler (Craig), and daughter Gigette Webb (Jeff). He was preceded in death by his daughter Chrissie. Haytachi loved his family,especially mom and his grandchildren: Gigette, Raymond Basilio, Anna Marie, Rachel, Basilio II, Carmella, Roy Hayden, Phillip, Mariah, Holly, Craig, Ali, Lilly, Luke and Gracie. He loved to see his eleven great grandchildren and if their parents didn't bring them around enough he would ask, "Where are the grand kids?" A life-long sheep man he spent most of his time out on the range or in the fields taking care of the sheep and cattle. He previously served as Vice-President of the Arizona Wool Growers Association; Founding Board Member of the American Lamb Company, Sheep Advisory Committee of the American Farm Bureau Federation and was a member of the Arizona Cattle Grower's Association, Arizona Farm Bureau, Western Range Association and Mountain Plains Agricultural Association. He respected hard work, and spent every day trying to instill the ethic of hard work in to everyone, whether family or stranger. He never really had employees as he slept in the same camps and ate the same food as everyone who ever worked for him. Raising and feeding animals was his professional passion. But he really liked to build things - stock ponds with a bull dozer, fence with a post driver, corrals with a hammer and nails, water towers with railroad ties, and tables with a saw (100% wood with no nails or screws). He even built a large wood bridge across a large wash in Northern Arizona that still stands today and was named "Haytachi Bridge." He knew love, hard work and good food. Last week he harvested five lambs for a party we were hosting for his and Irene's 65th Wedding Anniversary. Please join us as we celebrate his life with these same five lambs on Tuesday, April 15th Funeral Mass at 10:00 am, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 13720 W Thomas Rd, Avondale, AZ, 85392, services to be followed by a reception in the Church hall. A Rosary will be held on Monday, April 14th at 7:00 pm at the same location. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to St. Thomas Aquinas School, 13720 W Thomas Rd, Avondale, AZ, 85392. Vaya con Dios, mi Querido.