New York Basque Club

Dear Everyone,
 
We said good-bye to Anna Mari Aguirre this month with thoughtful words of sympathy and heartfelt condolences. We shared our fondest memories of her to one another and with her family.  She was an exemplary person within the NYC Basque community and Diaspora outside Euskadi. Her eloquence, straight forwardness, humor, intelligence, and resourcefulness will be greatly missed.

Anna Mari passed on Friday, May 8th, 2020, as she succumbed to a long illness. 
 
Anna was born and raised in New York and was a model of embracing Basque Culture. In her youth, she along with her brother Martin Aguirre participated in the group of Dantzaris of the then Centro Vasco Americano* (The name would later be changed to Euzko Etxea of New York) where her parents, Andoni & Irene, who were long standing and well-regarded members and Officers of Centro Vasco Americano. She taught Basque dances to younger children of Basques in New York as a teenager and as a young adult. She went on to work on Society of Basque Studies in America and was a Board Member of the Basque International Cultural Center of which both were founded by Dr. Emilia Doyaga. For many years she was nominated and also acted as the Delegate from Euzko Etxea of New York to the North American Basque Organization (NABO) where she attended their Annual Conferences. She took Euskara Classes taught at Euzko Etxea of New York by Itziar Albisu, a former President of Euzko Etxea, and was so driven to learn Euskara, she would travel to Itziar's house for personal lessons. She involved family & friends in many of her endeavors in her long time participation in Euzko Etxea. Her work as a VP at Deutsche Bank’s New York Headquarters led her to also teach courses on International Banking at NYU.
 
During recent years, as she battled her episodes with cancer, she fulfilled her Bucket List and traveled the world far and wide.  It brought her such happiness to share her stories of her adventures and to many it was a pleasure listening to her excitement. We will miss her greatly.  

May she Rest In Peace. Agur maitia Anna.

Elisa, Enrique, Ryan and Unai 

(Board of Directors) 

Kaixo lagunok,
 
Hilabete honetan Anna Mari Aguirreri agur esan diogu, maitasunez eta doluminez beteriko hitzekin. Berari buruzko oroitzapen maitagarrienak partekatu ditugu elkarrekin eta bere familiarekin. Pertsona eredugarria zen bai New Yorkeko euskal komunitatean baita euskal diasporan ere. Bihotzez falta botako ditugu bere adierazgarritasuna, mintzo zuzen eta zentzuduna, umorea eta argitasuna.

Anna Mari 2020ko maiatzaren 8an, ostirala, sendu zen gaixotasun luze baten ondorioz.
 
Anna Mari New Yorken jaio eta hazi zen, eta euskal kulturarekiko maitasun eredu izan zen. Bere gaztaroan, anaia Martin Aguirrerekin batera Dantzaris taldean parte hartu zuen garai hartako Centro Vasco Americanon (gaur egun Euzko Etxea of New York bezala ezagutzen dena). Bere gurasoak, Andoni eta Irene, Centro Vasco Americanoko kide eta ofizial oso errespetatuak izan ziren. Gaztaro eta nerabetasunean New Yorkeko euskaldunen seme-alabei euskal dantzak irakatsi zizkien. Society of Basque Studies in American lan egin zuen eta Basque International Cultural Centerren zuzendaritza batzordeko kide izan zen. Bi erakunde hauek Emilia Doyaga doktoreak sortu zituen. Urte askoan New Yorkeko Euzko Etxeko North American Basque Organizationsen (NABO) ordezkari bezala izendatua izan zen eta NABOren urteko bileretan parte hartu zuen. New Yorkeko Euzko Etxean irakasten ziren euskara klaseak jaso zituen Itziar Albisuren eskutik, New Yorkeko Euzko Etxeko Lehendakari ohia, eta Itziarren etxera ere joaten zen euskara ikasteko helburuz. Euzko Etxean izan zuen parte hartze luzean zehar, bere senide eta lagunen patehartzea ere sustatu zuen. Deutsche Bankeko New Yorkeko egoitzan presidenteorde bezala egindako lanak New Yorkeko Unibertsitatean nazioarteko banka alorreko ikastaroak irakastera eraman zuen.
 
Azken urteotan, gaixotasunari aurre egiten zion bitartean, bere desio zerrenda betez mundu osoan zehar bidaiatu zuen. Zoriontasunez partekatzen zituen bere abenturen istorioak eta plazer handia izaten zen hauek entzutea. Bihotzez faltan botako dugu.

Bakean atseden har dezala. Goian Bego Anna maitea.

Elisa, Enrique, Ryan eta Unai 

(Zuzendaritza Batzordea)