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Jose Iribarren
February 11, 1929 - March 17, 2016
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<div itemprop="description">Jos&eacute; Iribarren Arrese was born February 11, 1929, in Abaurrea Baja, a <br />picturesque Basque village nestled in a valley of the Pyrenee mountains of Navarra, <br />Spain. His parents were Cecilio Iribarren and Petra Arrese. He was the second son of <br />seven children. Jos&eacute; grew up working on the family farm. At the age of eighteen Jos&eacute; <br />spent 2 years as a soldier, serving in the Spanish military (La Mili) to fulfill his <br />conscription obligation. He left Spain to work on a farm in Ortez, France, during which <br />time he received news that he was accepted to immigrate to Canada. He arrived in <br />Canada in 1958 and worked on a tobacco farm in Tillsonburg, a mushroom farm in Port <br />Credit, as a lumberjack in Cochrane, as a dock worker at the Toronto Harbor, as a <br />gardener at Edwards Gardens, and as an animal keeper at the Riverdale Zoo. In 1966 <br />Jos&eacute; travelled to Mexico, where he met his cherished wife Maria del Rosario Lapeyre <br />Blackaller. They were married February 25, 1967. Their marriage produced three <br />beautiful children that were his pride and joy, Cecilio, Jos&eacute; and Eva. They lived in <br />Mexico where Jos&eacute; raised goats on a ranch and sold the milk to a creamery. In 1971 <br />Jos&eacute; decided to return to Canada with his family. They settled in West Hill, Toronto <br />shortly after arriving in Canada. Jos&eacute; procured employment as a zookeeper at the Metro <br />Toronto Zoo the year that it opened in 1974. Jos&eacute;&rsquo;s affinity and connection to animals <br />and nature, as well as his unwavering work ethic and integrity, earned him the respect <br />and admiration of his colleagues. He loved working at the zoo. It gave him a sense of <br />fulfillment and pride and it allowed him to provide for his family. <br />Jos&eacute; was passionate about his family and travelled often to Spain and Mexico to <br />visit with the families he left behind. He loved music and singing with his brothers and <br />sisters. He enjoyed playing all racket sports, especially front&oacute;n at Cardinal Newman, <br />tennis at Heron Park and squash at the University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus. He <br />also enjoyed playing Spanish card games and dominos and spent many evenings <br />playing and socializing at El Club Hispano in Toronto. <br /> <br />Jos&eacute; passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 17, 2016, after many years of <br />battling cancer and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Jos&eacute; was predeceased by his <br />brother Bonifacio and sisters Angela and Carmen. Left with wonderful and loving <br />memories are his loving wife Rosario, children Cecilio (Anna), Jos&eacute;, Eva (Godfrey), <br />grandchildren Aitor, Elena, Lucas, Marcus, Alia and Rafi, sister In&eacute;s and brothers Rufino <br />and Angel, many nieces and nephews and a wide circle of friends. Jos&eacute; you will be <br />deeply missed. We will always carry your memory in our hearts.</div>