Teodosio 'Ted' Urrutia

4/2/1929 — 4/26/2017

Service Date: 5/1/2017
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Teodosio "Ted" Urrutia, 88, of Lewiston, died Wednesday, April 26, 2017, at his home.

He was born April 2, 1929, to Antonio and Maria (Azcarate) Urrutia in Lintzoain, Navarra, Spain. He was one of 12 children of a proud Basque family.

At an early age, he learned to herd sheep in the Pyrenees mountains. Upon turning 18, he joined the Spanish Army for four years. Around 1955, he arrived in the U.S., where he was a shepherd in the valleys and mountains of Nevada and California. He moved to Los Angeles, where he worked at Farmer John. He met Felipa Salcedo at a dance and the couple married Oct. 7, 1966. Their two daughters were born in Los Angeles.

They moved in 1976 to Carson City, Nev., where they opened Toki Ona, a Basque restaurant. In addition to being part owner, he was the head chef, preparing authentic Basque dishes for their customers.

From 1979 to 1996, they lived in Green River, Wyo., where he worked for Allied Chemical, later General Chemical, in various positions. He retired after 17 years.

Ted was an avid racquetball player and won many tournaments in singles and doubles. Throughout his working career, he was a devoted father, husband and an extremely hard worker. He worked many extra shifts to support his family. He was especially devoted to his grandchildren and enjoyed their company tremendously. He loved hiking in the mountains, fishing, camping and anything outdoors. He could fix anything and was very creative with woodworking in later years. He and his wife enjoyed dancing, traveling and spending time with family.

He is survived by daughters Mary Lowe of La Center, Wash., and Angelica (Keith) Cova of Morgan Hill, Calif.; his beloved grandchildren, Ryan and Annalysa Lowe, and Isabella and Francesca Cova; seven brothers and sisters; and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Monday at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Per Ted's wishes, he will be buried at sea with his wife, Felipa, and also at his family grave in Lintzoain, Spain.