Michel Jean Irigoin

He was born in his family's ancestral home, Legarretania, in the little village of St. Jean-Le-Vieux, in the Basque region of France on May 9, 1926. In 1939, his childhood was interrupted by the invasion of France by the Nazis, forcing him to quit school and work on the farm under German occupation. Because of the war, he never finished school but did go on to serve in the French Army in 1945-46.

He married Beatrice Arrechea from La Madeleine, France on September 20, 1950 in their little village church in St. Jean-Le-Vieux. Shortly after they both immigrated over to the United States, they began working in the restaurant business, owning the Centro Basco hotel/restaurant in Chino, California in the 1950s, and the Pyrenees Lounge, in the 1960s and 1970s. During the latter part of his working life, Michel also worked for the Chino Unified School District.

Despite the war and working on the farm, as a young man, he enjoyed playing Pilota at his village's Fronton, playing the game both with his hands or with his Pala. Here in the States there was not a trout that was safe from his fishing skills.

However, his greatest joy was serving at Holy Family Catholic Church as a Eucharistic Minister and as a member of the Knights of Columbus. Praying was an important part of his life. When not at various church functions, you would find him working in his garden. If you were to have visited him, not a weed would you have found. Gardening held an important memory of his days on the farm and he loved doing it.

Michel is survived by his wife of 62 years, Beatrice Irigoin of Yakima; their son Paul Irigoin and Paul's wife, Deborah of Selah and three grandchildren, Michael, Sarah and Katherin.

Visitation will be held at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel on Friday, September 28, 2012 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. A Vigil service will held at the Keith & Keith Ninth Avenue Chapel on Friday, September 28 at 6:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Holy Family Catholic Church on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. A committal service will follow at Calvary Cemetery. To celebrate the life of Michel and share a memory please visit www.keithandkeith.com.