| Notes |
- Andy Echanis, a long time Pendleton resident and businessman, known for
decades as Andy "Blitz" throughout Umatilla and Morrow counties, died
early Sunday evening, July 8. He was 93 years old.
Born Andres Jose Echanis, June 12th, 1919 at a Basque boarding house on
Grove Street in Boise, Idaho. He was the eldest of five children of Ignacio
"Jack" Echanis and Maria Pagoaga, both Basque immigrants from Spain. He
grew up in Ontario, Oregon in his family-owned boarding house for Basque
sheep herders. All through his school years he excelled in sports; football,
basketball, and baseball. Also, as a teenager and a young man he worked as
a camp tender in his family sheep business in the Steens mountains area of
southeast Oregon. It is estimated that he has his named carved on close to
500 trees on the mountain dating back to the 1930's which are now part of a
historical landmark in that area. He had provided a good deal of oral history
for the Boise Basque Museum on his subject, as well as his experience in
meeting new Basque immigrants to the Ontario Area at the train station and
orienting them to the town as he spoke fluent Basque.
Andy graduated from Ontario High School in 1939 and attended Oregon
State University on a baseball scholarship until he joined the United States
Marine Corps in 1942. He was promoted to the rank of master Tech
Sergeant. He was also designated as a rifle marksman and air crafter armory
specialist. He served in the Marshall Island Operations specifically on
Midway Island and Guam in the south Pacific during World War II.
After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Ontario and worked various jobs,
mostly related to the beverage industry. Eventually, he became the district
sales representative for Lucky Lager beer in Yakima, Washington. In
January 1953, he married Lucy McKnight and his son and daughter were
born in Yakima.
In 1956, he moved to Pendleton after purchasing Umatilla Distributing, a
beer and wine sales company. The business grew and prospered over the
next 28 years until its sale in 1984. He became known as Andy "Blitz"
because Blitz-Weinhard was one of the name brand beers that he sold which
he made very popular in this area.
Besides being known for his capacity for hard work, he had a great love for
hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. Andy also enjoyed cooking specialty
Basque dishes learned in his early sheep camp days. He specialized in Dutch
oven campfire bread and worked on many of the large lamb barbecues put
on by Mario's Basque Barbecue in this area. After his retirement from the
beer business, he worked well into his 80's at the Rainbow Cafe on Main
Street in Pendleton arriving sometimes as early as 4:30 am to oversee its
opening at 6 am of the bar and restaurant as a relief manager for his long
term friend, Don Webb.
In June 1975, he married Thelma Purcell of Pendleton, they were married
for 37 years.
Andy is proceeded in death by his parents and one brother. Cam Echanis.
Besides his wife, Thelma, he is survived by a daughter Paula Rosenberg,
Pendleton, and a son Carols Echanis, East Hampton, New York. Also, a step
son and daughter, Bruce Purcell and Kirn Hinkle, both of Pendleton. Seven
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Two younger brothers, John and
Frank Echanis and a sister, Josephine Keim, all of Ontario, survive as well.
In lieu of a funeral service a celebration of life will be held at the Pendleton
Elks Lodge on Saturday, July 14 2012 at 1 pm. Donations in Andy's name
may be made to the local Humane Society or to the Ontario Basque
Museum.
|
1919 - 2012 (93 years)
