Mercedes Anchustegui Bicandi

Mercedes Anchustegui Bicandi was born in Mt. Home, Idaho on April 2, 1914 to Pedro and Josefa Anchustegui. She passed away September 26, 2010 at her home in Caldwell. Her father came from Spain in 1901 and worked in the sheep until 1907 when Josefa came from Spain. They opened up a boarding house in Mt. Home and Pedro built the first hand ball court in Mt. Home which is now a historical site. Living in the boarding house Mercedes and her brother and sisters were surrounded by music and dancing. In the winter when the herders came to town there were dances and lively matches on the hand ball court. After graduating from high school Mercedes went to nurses training at Mercy Hospital graduating in 1935 as a registered nurse. She worked at Mercy as head surgical nurse until her son Richard was born. She married Lucas Bicandi July 8, 1939 and together they farmed until he retired and they moved to town where she has resided for the last 35 years. She loved her yard and flowers, Basque music and keeping scrap books of all the family history. She was preceded in death by her husband Lucas, mother and father, step-mother Maria Anchustegui, sisters Margaret Arosteguy, Helen Meabe, and brother Gene and their spouses. She is survived by her sister Beatrice Bollinger of Mt. Home, her son and daughter-in-law Richard "Dick" Bicandi and Dorothy, her grandchildren Mitch (Bobbi) Bicandi, Gina (Tad) Dowen, great granddaughters Alli Bicandi, Sami Bicandi, and Morgan Dowen and many nieces and nephews. We would like to thank mumma's special friend and neighbor of twenty years, Shirley Bingle, for her friendship and help taking care of her in the last few months. A graveside service will be held for her at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, September 30, 2010 at Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell. Service Information