Jean Pierre Bidegaray age 83, of South Brockton, MT passed away at Sidney Health Center of congestive heart failure on Friday morning, December 21.
Jean Pierre was born on September 28, 1929 to Jean and Gracianne Bidegaray in Mendive, France in the Pyrenees Atlantiques. After joining the French Army, he trained as a paratrooper in the Brevet Militaire Parachute Bataillion in 1950. He loved the thrill of parachuting from an airplane. Once, he got “wet feet” and didn’t jump with his feet first, and the parachute hit him in the back of the head. That was the first time he saw the Earth spin! He received a Certificate of Good Conduct. For this, he got two weeks of leave to see Lourdes, France. He and a friend were able to take a drink of the miracle water.
In 1951, with his older brother Bert Bidegaray, Jean Pierre was invited by his Montana uncle, Bert Salaberry to come to Montana. Both Bidegaray brothers worked as sheep-herders and farm hands for their cousins David and Calvin Steppler in the Elmdale area. In 1957, he became a USA citizen. With assistance from his Uncles Bert and John, Jean Pierre became a farmer and rancher in the Yellowstone Valley in Sidney. Soon after, he went back to Mendive, France to marry Marie Louise Poutcou in 1964. While in the Valley, 3 children were born. In 1967, he and his young family moved to South of Brockton to farm and ranch in the Charley Creek area. Jean was a hard working farmer and rancher irrigating silage corn, wheat, alfalfa and raising beef cattle — along with six children. He loved to fish and his generosity in giving fish to friends and family became a Christmas Eve tradition. He was probably most proud of teaching his grandsons to become excellent pinochle players. He was also fond of a great game of cards late into the night! In fact one of his favorite sayings at the table when someone misplayed was to “Play like a feesh!” We were never convinced if he knew himself what this meant – but we knew we had to pay better attention to the next hand when it was directed at us! He was also proud to be married to one of the best cooks in the land – his love of gathering around one of Mom’s dinner spreads is a memory that we will always remember that he enjoyed immensely.
Jean was preceded in death by his parents, uncles John and Bert, Auntie (Therese Salaberry), brothers and sisters (Francois, Marie Gracie, Bertrand, Lucie), and first cousins Frances and Jane Steppler who were like sisters to him when he came to America.
Jean is survived by his wife of 49 years, Marie Lou, daughters Josy of Great Falls (Mike, Jayse); Jeanine of the family farm (Dominica, Renee, Gabriel); Gabriele of South Carolina (Geremy, Nora, Gage); and sons Patrick of Culbertson (Lanette, Colton, Landon, Alexi); and Claude and Remi of the family farm in Charley Creek; his sister-in-law, Therese Bidegaray, and his beloved nephews and nieces Kathy Bidegaray, Michele Bidegaray, Debbie Berry, Beverly Anderson, Daniel Bidegaray, Mary Bidegaray and the Steppler families. He has many remaining friends of the Basque families in the area such as the Irigoin, Amestoy and Bengochea families.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Emmaus House of St. Bernard Catholic Church, Sidney Health Center or an organization of one’s choice.
Special thanks to the St. Bernard Altar Society, St. Vincent’s in Billings, Great Falls Clinic, Park Place Rehabilitation in Great Falls, and the doctors and staff at Culbertson Memorial and Sidney Health Center. We will always be grateful for the love and support that Dad and our family received over his last few days from family and friends.
A vigil will be held 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 26 at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Charlie Creek, MT. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, December 27 at the St. Bernard Catholic Church in Charlie Creek, MT. Interment will follow at the St. Bernard Catholic Cemetery.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences can be sent to the family using the form below.