euskalkultura.eus

13/05/2025 - Donazaharre, Baxenabarre

(publicado en The Glasgow Courier)

John Sallaberry passed away on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Saint-Jean-le-Vieux, France. He was 91 years old

His funeral was in Banca, France, on May 19, 2025, and he was laid to rest there with his family

He was blessed to spend his last years in the Basque Country in southern France. He and his sister, Amelie, lived in the Sallaberry family home (Zubigain) in Banca, France, where they and the generation before them had been raised. It was only recently that John had been moved into a retirement home in Saint-Jean-le-Vieu

He enjoyed going to events and church in small country settings, so we will remember and celebrate his life in the same manner. In his younger years he spent time in Zortman, Mont., for various events and even later in life enjoyed trips there for senior meals, groceries and holiday festivities. Therefore, we will be having a celebration of his life in Zortman at the Baptist Church on Saturday, July 12, at 2 p.m

John was born on Oct. 6,1933, in Banca, France. His parents were Marie Etchevers (Sallaberry) and Gratien Sallaberry. He was the second child born into their family of seven children. His mother and youngest infant sibling, Lucie, passed away from tuberculosis in 1945 when he was only 11 years old. He was always grateful to his older sister, Gratianne, who did all that she could to help raise her five siblings

In August of 1952, at the young age of 18 John left France to come to the United States. There was a great demand for experienced sheep herders in the U.S. at that time and his aunt May (Sallaberry) Tihista and her family lived in Glasgow, Mont. It was an opportune time to take a leap of faith and join a group of young men from the Basque Country that were being sponsored by the California Range Association to come to the U.S. to herd sheep. The group of young men boarded their Pan Am flight and upon arrival in California, went their separate ways, some going to Idaho, some to Oregon and John, to Montana to stay with his aunt May and her family

After helping John adjust to being in a new country, May encouraged him to contact Pete (Pierre) Itcaina who owned the Matador Ranch south of Malta. Pete had also grown up in the Basque country and immigrated to the U.S. John was hired and given a position as a ranch employee/sheep herder. He started by spending part of the year at the ranch and part of the year in a sheep wagon watching over sheep in summer pastures. It was not long before Pete realized that he had a very wise, hardworking and dedicated employee in John. He decided that he wanted John to be at the ranch all year round. John worked for Pete until he passed away in 1966

In 1967, Fred Itcaina, Jean Itcaina (Pete's nephew) and John decided to purchase the Matador Ranch. The three of them formed the Matador Ranch Corporation as joint owners. They had a successful partnership, were loyal friends and John became like a brother to Fred and Jean. After a few years, John decided he wanted to spend half of the year in France and the other half in the U.S. He would leave in the fall to go to Banca in time for bird hunting and fall projects at his family's farm and return to Montana in the spring for calving, lambing, branding, docking, fencing and haying in the summer. He loved being in Montana and Banca and always felt pulled from both sides of the Atlantic because of loyalty and obligation. He was dearly loved by family in France and family in Montana and California. Everyone was blessed to be able to share part of his life each year. In 2000 the Matador Ranch was sold, but a portion of the adjacent land (the Hartman Ranch) remained under a lease agreement for an additional 19 years. John spent his summers there until that agreement ended in 2019. After that he spent most of his time in France

He leaves behind a legacy of being a hard worker, and an honest, kind and humble man who valued family and friends. He also had a special way with all animals whether it was sheep, cattle, dogs, cats (or even a rabbit who occasionally hitched a ride with him in his truck to check fences). Since he had a quiet, calm and settling nature that was genuine they all just knew that he would protect and care for them. John had the same nature regarding people, and we were all so blessed to have him in our lives for so many years

John was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters and their spouses, Marceline Sallaberry (Etiennne Lay), Gratianne Sallaberry (Joseph Bidart), Francoise (Sallaberry) Petoteguy (Michel Petoteguy); his sister Lucie and his brother Gabriel; his brother-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Hauscarriague; his aunt, May (Peter) Tihista; first cousins Helen (Tihista) Marks and Ronald (Mary) Tihista, Kathleen (Borton) Tihista; and Fred and Jean Itcaina, who were like brothers to him

In France, he is survived by his sister, Amelie Sallaberry (Hauscarriague), his nephew, Jerome Lay and family; nieces Marie Veronique Bidart (Denis Goni) and Maite Petoteguy and family and many cousins. In the US, his nephew Jean-Pierre Petoteguy and family; nieces Bernadette (Petoteguy) Jensen, and Monique Petoteguy and their families. Also, his first cousin, Mitch Tihista in Sidney, Mont., and other cousins, as well as the Itcaina girls and their families who loved him like an uncle.

Goian Bego (GB) - May Rest in Peace