Michel Iturbide

1938 - 2025

Michel Iturbide

November 6, 1938 - March 9, 2025

Los Banos, California - Michel Iturbide died on March 9, 2025 at the age of 86 in Los Banos, CA. He was born on November 6, 1938 in Bidarray, France to Jean Baptiste Iturbide and Marie Etchebest. Michel was the oldest of 6 children and stopped attending school at a young age to work on the family farm.

In 1958 Michel was drafted into the French Army and served in combat for over two years in the Algerian War. Afterwards he moved to the United States. Like many young Basques in the US, Michel started out as a sheepherder for a year before trying his hand at cooking in a restaurant in Stockton, CA. There he married his first wife and had a daughter.

In 1973 while back in France, Michel married Jeanine Mailh from Osses. He'd known her family because her father was a mechanic and Michel would get fuel from their garage and he served in the war with her brother. Michel and Jeanine moved to San Francisco, CA, where they both worked at hotel restaurant The Basque Hotel.

In 1974 Michel and Jeanine, along with their infant son, moved to Los Banos, CA when Michel bought the Woolgrowers restaurant. With Michel in the bar and his younger brother Gabriel in the kitchen, the long days, nights, and challenges of being a business owner were offset by the fulfillment and joy he found in providing a space for the community to gather, celebrate, and of course, enjoy food and drink for the 42+ years until their retirement in 2016 upon selling the restaurant.

The relationships Michel built through the restaurant over the years were incredibly important to him, and he felt deep gratitude for them.

While Michel worked hard, he found time to begin gardening, which became his favorite hobby. His lush vegetable garden and many fruit trees were a source of immense pride. So was his full head of hair, as he liked to mention every now and then.

In retirement he enjoyed maintaining his garden, listening to music, watching pilota games on TV and playing cards with Jeanine.

Michel is preceded in death by his wife Jeanine, his parents, and youngest brother Jean. He is survived by children Ellen, Christian and Daniele; grandchildren; siblings in Los Banos and France; and nieces, nephews and in-laws in the US and France.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Los Banos on Monday, April 14th, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.