Luis Berriochoa

Lou Berriochoa of Mt Home, Idaho, died of natural causes on November 12, 2018 while residing at a home for the elderly in Meridian, ID. He was surrounded by his children and died peacefully.

Lou was born in Dietrich, and until grade school his family lived in Shoshone, Mt. Home, Atlanta and Mullan, ID where he graduated from high school. He often bragged to his kids that his Mullan football team never lost a game in 3 seasons with him as quarterback.

After high school, he enrolled in the University of Idaho for one semester before enlisting in the Army. Lou served during WWII from January 20, 1943 to January 3, 1946. His skiing ability landed him in the 10th Mountain Division “Ski Troops”. He served two tours in the European theater before being wounded in the Po Valley in April of 1945. By the time he recovered from his injuries, the war had ended. He received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star but was most proud of his Combat Infantry Badge.

After the war he re-enrolled in the University of Idaho and joined the ski team. In those days, U of I was part of the Pacific Coast Conference. Skiers had to jump, downhill, slalom, and cross country.

We never knew why, but after three years at Idaho Lou decided to go on an exchange program to Mexico and studied for one semester at the University of Mexico before finding a job working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a livestock inspector. He again served the U.S. for three years traveling rural Mexico on horseback looking for cows with Hoof and Mouth Disease. He often said he never found a single cow with the Disease.

Dad was a founding member of Euskaldunak Inc. in Boise, Idaho in the late 1940’s. He also founded the Mountain Home Ski School.

He met and married Flora Montrose of Mountain Home in 1953, moved her to Mexico and returned in 1954 to Mtn. Home, the city he thought of most of the time as home since 1937. In 1953 he was again employed by the US government, but this time as a letter carrier. He served as a letter carrier until 1963 when he became Post Master of Mountain Home. He served as Post Master for 18 years until his retirement in 1981.

After his retirement from the post office, he enjoyed traveling. He traveled to the Basque Country, Medjugorje, and Rome where he witnessed the canonization of Valentin Berriochoa, the first saint from Vizcaya, in 1988.

He is preceded in death by his Parents Adrian and Celestina. His brothers Valentin and Albert, and his sisters Mary, Ellen, and Adeline. He is survived by his sister Ruby and his children Tom, Tina, Damian, Kole, Ben, Mickie, Morrie, 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.