Antonio Plaza, 79, beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend to many died peacefully with his daughters at his bed side on Dec. 29, 2011.
Antonio was born Nov. 18, 1932, in Guizaburruaga, Viscaya, Spain, to Manuel Plaza and Juana Gabiola. He was joined in birth that day with his twin sister Jesusa.
In 1951, when Tony was 19, he boarded a plane for the United States and found his place in the Shoshone Idaho area where he took on the task of sheepherding. He remained in the area until he met and married the love of his life, Julie Ann Arrate, in September of 1966. They then found there place in Burns, Ore. Tony was employed at the Hines Lumber Mill and the two of them became a family of three when Gloria arrived in June of 1967. They stayed in Oregon until 1968 when the family of three relocated to Winnemucca, where they have made their home since. They were blessed in the summer of 1982 with a daughter, Angelique.
Tony and Julie purchased the Shone house and lived and ran the boarding house until 1976. He was also a custodian with the Humboldt County School District since 1968 and retired from this position in 1997.
Since retirement, Tony has taken great pride in being "Papa" to his three grandchildren, playing Mus with friends, sitting on the front porch just watching cars go by, mowing his lawn and traveling to various Basque festivals where he could see friends and family and enjoy his heritage. He was also a long time member of the Winnemucca Basque Club where he enjoyed many years of preparing Lamb Stew for the local festival.
Tony is preceded in death by his wife, Julie Ann, and parents Manuel and Juana. He is survived by his daughters Gloria and son-in-law Ken Hummel of Winnemucca, and Angelique and son-in-law David Reeder of Reno; three beautiful grandchildren, Anthony James and Allie Jean Hummel, and Addison Juliann Reeder, his twin sister Jesusa, and sisters Maria, Lourdes and a brother Eugenio all of Spain and several nieces and nephews and many good friends.
The reciting of the Rosary will be Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 10 a.m. with mass of Christian burial following beginning at 11 a.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church here in Winnemucca.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Lovelock Funeral Home.
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