Notes:

ONTARIO — Family and friends describe him as lively, sharp, witty and humorous. Perhaps one of Ontario’s most recognized World War II Veterans, Charles “Chick” Keim, will be missed in Ontario.

Keim died Wednesday at the age of 93.

Keim was a man with a tremendous amount of history. He was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division 501st Parachute Regiment, a title he took with great pride.


Most notably, in his days with the U.S. Army Airborne, Keim was one of the few men who assisted in capturing Adolf Hitler’s home, known as the Eagle’s Nest. It was a prominent moment in history and a marked memory for Keim.

During his time of service, he was awarded the Purple Star after he sustained a shrapnel wound to his buttock. He was also awarded the Bronze Star after he reportedly disabled a German Tiger tank.

Ron Verini, a veterans advocate and friend of Keim, said Keim had shot out the tank’s radiator with a bazooka.

“He was a decorated hero. He was a part of our living history,” Verini said.

Keim was indeed a distinguished man in history, and he knew it, which is why he spent his time volunteering at schools, programs and projects to share his experiences and encounters in war.

He regularly visited local high schools to tell WWII stories, and he dutifully worked alongside other Veterans by joining various organizations.

Besides spending many years sharing his encounters in war, Keim’s family said he had many hobbies.

He was extremely active, even at the age of 93, and he enjoyed making people laugh.

“He would always tell jokes. He thought he was the funniest man,” his son, Tom Keim, said.

He was also a singer.

“He wasn’t professional by any means, but he enjoyed it,” his daughter, Mary Jo Flaynn, said.

The decorated veteran was also known as an artist, and would memorize many songs, poems and chants.

And he enjoyed dancing.

“I would take him to many dances at the senior center, and all the ladies would flock to him,” Margie Yasuda, a family friend, said.

A lover of all funny matters, Keim had a clown collection that he began in the 1980s and he was also a cartoonist.

Above all, Keim loved his family and friends.

Plastered around his home are photos of his grandchildren and family. He even began adding to photo albums, that were gifted to him by his son and daughter-in-law.

“He just kept adding more and more pictures,” said Tom.

Many of his war memories are saved in those photo albums and in the items he collected from his time in war, including a Nazi Germany Flag that is now kept at the Warhawk Museum in Caldwell.

In his last years, Keim shared his war story as part of the museum’s Veterans History Project, where now, anyone can watch him retell his encounters in a video on the museum’s website.

“We are proud to have people like Chick to tell their stories. He epitomized what the soldier is really about,” said Verini. “When he signed on the dotted line to serve, he continued to give back until the day he passed away.”

Charles + Josephine Martina Echanis. Josephine (daughter of Jose Ignacio Echanis Yriarte and Maria Josefa Pagoaga Aristondo) was born on 19 Sep 1923 in Ontario, Oregon; died on 20 Jul 2022 in Ontario, Oregon. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Ontario Basque Club: Charter Member

Notes:

Obituary of Josephine M Keim
Josephine Martina Echanis Keim, 98 of Ontario, Oregon passed peacefully at home Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Josephine, was born September 19th 1923, to Ygnacio “Jack” and Maria Echanis who emigrated from Spain to the US in the early 1900’s.

Josephine’s family operated a sheep business in the Steens Mountains and then opened their home for a Basque Boarding house in 1922 where the sheep herders from Spain had a place to live. Josephine helped her mother prepare meals for her family and boarders, gardened, canned fruits and vegetables, and cleaned the 15 room house after school. She also acted as an interpreter for the boarders when making banking decisions and business transactions. Their home became a landmark in Ontario because of its importance for the local history of the Basque people and a gathering place for the boarders and families of the Basques community in the surrounding area. The home hosted the first Basque dance in the boarding house in 1942.

Josephine married Charles (Chick) Keim in 1956. They resided in the Boarding House as she continued to work and care for her family and parents. Together, they raised three children, Tom, Mary Jo, and Tony. She was active in her children’s school activities, field trips, religious education, and would always have fresh baked goodies for everyone who visited their home. She welcomed everyone who walked in the door. She spoiled her four brothers and loved each of her nieces and nephews as if they were her own. She loved watching her children and grandchildren play sports and traveled to attend their sporting events. If she was unable to attend, she would sit by the radio and listened to each play and knew each player on the team. She was an active member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church Altar Society and helped to form the Ontario Basque Club in 1947. She was inducted into the Basque Hall of Fame in 2007 which was featured in New York, and she documented her families’ Basque history in 2016 which can be seen at the Boise Basque Museum in Boise, Idaho.

Josephine was preceded in death by her husband, Charles (Chick) Keim, her four brothers, Andres, Carmelo, John and Frank Echanis, her parents Jack and Maria Echanis, her Sisters-in-law Pat, Lucey and Delores Echanis, nephew Mike Echanis, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

She is survived by her son Tom Keim and Jan Pennington, her daughter Mary Jo and husband Brett Flynn, and her son Tony Keim and Kellie Russell. She loved her 13 grand-children; Greg Keim, Jake & Joey Zabala, Toby, Keanna, Kylee, and Kody Keim, Healther and Carra Flynn, Samantha Herrera, Matison & Abigail Youngblood, and Erik Perkins. She adored her eight great-grandchildren; Sage & Jack Keim, Hadley & Ryan Lassandro, Jayce and Ava McClure, and Whitney and Ava Perkins, and her sister-in-law Lourena Echanis and numerous nieces and nephews that were an active part of her life whom she loved dearly.

We will remember Josephine for the unconditional love and acceptance that she had for her family and friends. Thank you Amuma for the coffee at your kitchen table, for sharing all of your stories, and for all of your love that made us feel we were at home. We Love You!

The family would like to thank Dr. Nani Cabrera and the staff of Heart ‘n Home Hospice for the care they gave to Josephine.

Josephine’s celebration of life hill be held Saturday, Sept. 24th. 2022 at 11:00 am in Ontario at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, with a reception following the Mass. Rosary will be held at 10:30 am preceding the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Ontario Basque Club in Ontario or to St Peter’s School in Ontario in Josephine’s behalf.

Arrangements by Lienkaemper Chapel, Ontario.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 1905
• Residence: 1910, Crane, Oregon
• Residence: 1918, Crane, Oregon
• Residence: 1920, Boise, Idaho; Lodgers at Yribar's boarding house, 401 Idaho Street

Notes:

Christened:
BAUTISMO
Nombre: Jose Ygnacio
Apellidos: Echaniz, Yriarte
Fecha: 1885-01-06
Padre: Jose Maria, Echaniz, Elordi
Madre: Maria Bernarda, Yriarte, Alcorta
Fondo: Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, en MUTRIKU
Título: 20º Bautismos
Folio/Página: 56
Nº Partida: 3

Jose married Maria Josefa Pagoaga Aristondo on 28 Aug 1917 in Boise, Idaho. Maria (daughter of Jose Maria Pagoaga Cendoya and Maria Concepcion Aristondo Galzacorta) was born on 25 Nov 1896 in Mutriku, Gipuzkoa; died on 08 Feb 1991 in Ontario, Oregon; was buried in Sunset Cemetery, Ontario, Oregon. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Immigration: 10 Jun 1916, New York; SS Alfonso XIII from Bilbao. Final destination Burns, Oregon. Person in the US Valentin Aguirre.

Notes:

Christened:
Bautismo
Nombre: Maria Josefa
Apellidos: Pagoaga, Aristondo
Fecha: 1896-11-25
Padre: Jose Maria, Pagoaga, Cendoya
Madre: Maria Concepcion, Aristondo, Galzacorta
Fondo: Asunción de Nuestra Señora, en Mutriku, Gipuzkoa
Título: 21º Bautismos
Folio/Página: 33
Nº Partida: 89

Notes:

Christened:
Can't find a child named jose maria born to these parents. May be same person as Juan Jose Nicasio (sibling), but we know these are his parents from his marriage record.

Padre: Gregorio, Echaniz, Yriondo
Madre: Hermeregilda, Elordi, Elua

Jose married Maria Bernarda Yriarte Alcorta on 17 Jun 1882 in Mutriku, Gipuzkoa. Maria (daughter of Jose Manuel Yriarte Galdos and Maria Agustina Alcorta Basurco) was born on 02 Feb 1855 in Mutriku, Gipuzkoa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Extracto de Partida de Bautismo
Identificación
Nombre: Maria Bernarda
Apellidos: Yriarte, Alcorta
Fecha: 1855-02-02
Padre: Jose Manuel , Yriarte, Galdos
Madre: Maria Agustina, Alcorta, Basurco
Observaciones: ----------
Localización
Fondo: Asunción de Nuestra Señora, en Mutriku, Gipuzkoa
Título: 18º Bautismos
Folio/Página: 195 vº
Nº Partida: 18
Perteneciente a Diócesis: Pamplona
Territorio Histórico: Gipuzkoa
Signatura: 2621/003-02
Sig. Microfilm: M114-03
Sig. Digital: 262100302-0196
Registro Informático: 1482078
Data Versión: 2008-07-28

Notes:

Married:
Extracto de Partida de Matrimonio
Esposo: José Maria, Echaniz, Elordi
Esposa: Maria Bernarda, Yriarte, Alcorta
Fecha: 1882-06-17
Fondo: Asunción de Nuestra Señora, en Mutriku, Gipuzkoa
Título: 6º Matrimonios
Folio/Página: 26 rº
Nº Partida: 13

Notes:

Extracto de Partida de Bautismo
Identificación
Nombre: Jose Maria
Apellidos: Pagoaga, Sendoya
Fecha: 1864-03-17
Padre: Jose Andres, Pagoaga, Aramberria
Madre: Ana Maria, Sendoya, Arrieta
Observaciones: ----------
Localización
Fondo: Asunción de Nuestra Señora, en Mutriku, Gipuzkoa
Título: 19º Bautismos
Folio/Página: 85 rº
Nº Partida: 25
Perteneciente a Diócesis: Vitoria
Territorio Histórico: Gipuzkoa
Signatura: 4589/001-01
Sig. Microfilm: M581-02
Sig. Digital: 458900101-0088
Registro Informático: 1503637
Data Versión: 2008-07-28

Jose married Maria Concepcion Aristondo Galzacorta on 11 Jul 1887 in Mutriku, Gipuzkoa. Maria (daughter of Agustin Aristondo Garate and Francisca Antonia Galzacorta Arrate) was born on 22 Aug 1858 in Mutriku, Gipuzkoa. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth:
Bautismo
Nombre: Maria Concepcion
Apellidos: Aristondo, Galzacorta
Fecha: 1858-08-22
Padre: Agustin, Aristondo, Garate
Madre: Francisca Antonia, Galzacorta, Arrate
Fondo: Asunción de Nuestra Señora, en Mutriku, Gipuzkoa
Título: 18º Bautismos
Folio/Página: 250 vº
Nº Partida: 56