ECHEVERRIA, SR., Roy Albert (Dr.)

Today's News-Herald, Lake Havasu City, Arizona Published Saturday, February 16, 2008 July 19, 1928 - Feb. 6, 2008 Dr. Roy Albert Echeverria, Sr., was born July 18, 1928, in Seligman, Ariz. Roy was the seventh of eleven children born to Basque pioneers Miguel Echeverria, of Biscarette, Navarra Spain and Vicencia Martinez, of Espinal, Navarra Spain. As a youngster Roy helped his father in his sheep business and started his life-long love of sheep producing. He was given his first band of sheep to watch during the summer grazing when he was nine years old. Roy attended elementary and high school in Wickenburg, Ariz., where he excelled academically as well as athletically. Described by teammates as a natural athlete, he lettered in both basketball and football and was on the Arizona all state team for six-man football. After graduating from Wickenburg High School in 1946, Roy moved to Tucson to study pre-veterinary medicine at the University of Arizona. He married Fawn Hudson of Wickenburg in 1948. He later attended Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colo., was a member of the honorary academic fraternity and graduated in 1954 with a doctorate in veterinary medicine. After graduation Roy returned to Arizona where he opened Casa Grande Animal Hospital, the first veterinary practice in Pinal County. Roy's fourteen-year veterinary practice included both large and small animals and stretched beyond Pinal County into other Arizona counties, New Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. Roy didn't forget his love of the sheep business. He and his brothers Mikel and Robert ran sheep through Echeverria Feeding Company in Casa Grande. When Roy's brother, Domingo, also a veterinarian, was killed in an accident in 1970, Roy moved to Colorado to administer Domingo's estate. He later took over Domingo's sheep business and in 1972 sold his veterinary practice in Casa Grande to dedicate his time to his first love, sheep and cattle ranching. Roy and his partners purchased a ranch from his brother's estate near Rawlins, Wyo., where he ran twelve thousand head of ewes and fed forty thousand head of lambs a year, trucking them up to the mountains in the summer and pasturing near Longmont, Colo. in the winter. Roy married Nancie Ensor in 1973. They resided in Berthoud, Colo., while he ran sheep in Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona and began farming in Southern Colorado. He later sold his sheep business to his partners and cousins, Juan and Poli Oroz, and partnered with Jose Marie Artaechevarria to raise potatoes and barley in Southern Colorado's San Luis Valley. Roy's son, Jim, currently runs the Echeverria Farms for his dad and Nancie. Roy served on the Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners for the State of Arizona and was a member of the National Woolgrower's Association as well as the Arizona and Colorado Woolgrowers. He is credited with discovering a parasite and its cure for sheep while working on a research project for Merck. He grew barley for Coors and wheat for Creamettes; each named Roy as their Farmer of the Year for the San Luis Valley. Roy and Nancie moved to Lake Havasu City in 1983 and Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1994. He was a member of the Golden K Kiwanis and attended the Community Presbyterian Church. Roy is survived by his wife, Nancie; his sisters, Laura Ferris, of Reno, Nev; Glady Miller, of Prescott, and Yvonne Echeverria, of Phoenix; his brothers, Rudy Echeverria of Maricopa; Julio Echeverria, of Chandler, and Donald Echeverria, of Phoenix; his children, Deborah Fain, of Sonoita, Josephine Walker, of Sonoita, Lillian Gold, of Livingston, Mont., Jim Echeverria, Center, Colo., Richard Echeverria, of Austin, Texas, and John Echeverria, of Chandler; 19 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his son, Roy Echeverria Jr.; his sister, Josephine Pemberton; and, his brothers Mikel, Robert and Domingo Echeverria. Roy was good natured and always had a joke or one-liner. He was deeply respected as a businessman and partner. He is remembered by hundreds of family and friends for his fine mind, unique character, honesty, hard work and generosity. His family is holding a celebration of Roy's life at 4 p.m., Feb. 21 at the Community Presbyterian Church in Lake Havasu City and at noon on Feb. 23 at 'The Property' in Casa Grande. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Church Street. Station, P.O. 780, New York, N.Y. 10008; or http://www.michaeljfox.org/">www.michaeljfox.org, Condolences and thoughts can be made to his family at http://www.lietz-frazefuneral.com/">www.lietz-frazefuneral.com. Arrangements were placed under the care of Lietz-Fraze Funeral Home and Crematory.