On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, San Juan Capistrano lost one of its last founding Basque family members when Carmen Oyharzabal passed away at age 97.
Carmen was born, raised and lived her entire life in the Yorba Adobe on Camino Capistrano next door to El Adobe restaurant. A devout Catholic, Carmen graduated from Mission School and later became a registered nurse. She spent her nursing career at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange. As a nurse and longtime friend of Monsignor Paul Martin, pastor of the Mission, she ultimately helped with his care during the last month of his life. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Carmen also could be seen every week at Serra’s Pantry at the Mission Basilica Church handing out food to those in need.
Carmen had an older sister, Teresita, who married Tom Rodriquez. Following the death of Teresita, Tom and Carmen continued to administer the Oyharzabal properties. Carmen and Tom were both lifetime members of the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society. Tom passed away in 2012. Until COVID, Carmen attended most Society events.
In 1974, Carmen’s mother, Eugenie Oyharzabal, rented to the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society the land on which Los Rios Street would become the Museum and offices of the Historical Society. In 2005, Carmen and Tom deeded to the Historical Society all of the Los Rios property that they owned, including the parcel where the Silvas Adobe and Leck structures are located. Today, the Historical Society is located at 31831 Los Rios Street because of the generosity of the Oyharzabal family through the years.
Carmen’s father came to San Juan Capistrano and went to work for his uncle as manager of the Oyharzabal ranch. In her oral history, Eugenie described her life in San Juan Capistrano in the early part of the 20th century. It was her husband, Estaban, who gave water to the town. The tank for the water was at the corner of the Oyharzabal property. It was Carmen’s uncle, Domingo, who built the French Hotel next to the Yorba Adobe. Eventually, Estaban inherited both properties. Both structures today are on the National Registry of Historic Places. Eugenie passed away in 1996 at the age of 105.
Jean Lacouague, another local Basque farmer, wrote in 1974, “The Oyharzabals were the biggest single employers in San Juan at one time. They ran a boarding house, had a water district and supplied water to the town initially and then hooked up to different houses.”
Carmen Oyharzabal believed in family, faith, community and hard work. San Juan Capistrano was fortunate to have her call our community home. Her family legacy will live on and be remembered for generations.
Carmen’s funeral mass is set for Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 10 a.m. at the Basilica in San Juan Capistrano. Burial will be at the family plot at Calvary Cemetery in Los Angeles.