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08/08/2021 - Fruitland, Idaho, USA

Louis "Louie" Urriola, 96, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2021 in Fruitland, ID.

Louie was born in Elko, Nevada on November 28, 1924 to Basque parents Manuel and Lauriana, and grew up with his brother Steven on area ranches.

The family moved from the Desert Ranch to Jack Creek and his youth was filled with ranch work, fishing, hunting and riding miles on horseback.

As a teenager, Louie's true interest turned to mechanical things while on summer loan to a ranch near Battle Mountain, where he first had the chance to work with in the shop with the ranch mechanic.

After joining the Navy in 1943, Louie went to welding school in Oklahoma & became an Aviation Metalsmith. He was stationed in San Diego, and was honorably discharged in 1946.

He lived in San Diego and took a job welding for a company fabricating air conditioners for airplanes. Louie loved cars and told stories of patching tires, souping up engines and racing with friends.

Eventually he moved back to Nevada to be near family and go deer hunting, and took his welding skills with him. He welded fences for cattle outfits and told stories of fixing burned-out brakes & cooling old car engines that experienced airlock and quit after toiling over mountain passes. He settled in Elko and opened Louie's Welding Shop & Repair and taught welding at the community college.

He married Penny Roysdon in 1966 and raised her two young daughters Vickie & Sherry. They later divorced in 1987, and Louie sold the shop and moved to Western Idaho.

In Idaho for the last 30 or so years, Louie lived in Caldwell and Marsing where he grew a big garden and kept chickens and sheep. He spent his days fixing his old pickups and improving his properties before selling and moving to the next community. He downsized for the move to New Plymouth in 2005 - but did not give up his garden and grew delicious strawberries, tomatoes and incredible garlic.

Louie loved to fish. He tied flies, kept a worm bin to catch trout and went to Alaska on a great salmon fishing adventure. He travelled to the Dominican Republic & North Carolina to visit Steve & Family, and later to Atlanta to visit his nieces. Around 87 he announced his air travel days were over, but continued to fish and camp in Idaho, Oregon & Nevada well into his 90's.

Louie never met a piece of pie he did not like, and lived his life his own unapologetic way: independent, loyal, hard headed yet lovable and an easy laugh.

Louie is survived by his nieces Helen Urriola, Stephanie Urriola, nephew David Urriola and so many others who loved him. Louie's ashes will be placed next to his brother Steve at Burns Cemetery in Elko, Nevada. In his memory, eat a big breakfast, tell big fish stories, laugh a lot and share your favorite Louie memory here: LaughLikeLouie@gmail.com

(published by Elko Daily, Legacy.com on Aug. 20, 2021)