Juvenal ‘Van’ Euclides Caires
Chandler, Arizona Aug. 16, 1930 — Jan. 27, 2017
Juvenal “Van” Euclides Caires was born on Aug. 16, 1930, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to his parents John and Louisa Caires. He was the younger brother of Mary and John, and the older brother of Mary (Luddy) Lourdes. His family moved to Madeira in 1931, and moved back to the United States in 1937.
Van graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland, California, in 1948. He then began working for General Motors in Oakland. In 1951, he entered the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed overseas for two years before his honorable discharge in 1955. Upon leaving the Air Force, he went to work for Safeway Soap Plant.
On June 18, 1966, Van married Sandra Siebes, and they created a blended family with his son, Steven, and her daughter, Sandra Lynne. In 1967 they were joined by their daughter, Amy, and in 1969, the twins Marcella and Monica arrived to complete the family. The family moved from Hayward, California, to Union City, California, in 1971. In 1980, Van and Sandi moved their family to Astoria, Oregon, where they bought a grocery store and later added a deli. They resided in the Astoria and Warrenton area until their move to Mesa, Arizona, in 2003.
Van was a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend. His passion for gardening and his infinite amount of patience was known to everyone who loved him. He passed away in the afternoon on Jan. 27, 2017. He was 86 years old.
He is survived by his wife Sandra; his son, Steve, and his wife, Wanda; and his daughters, Sandra Lynne, Amy, Marcella and her husband, Jack, and Monica and her husband, Rick. He had 11 grandchildren, Robert, Kristal and her husband, Walter, Amanda and her husband, Brian, Steven Jr., Jordan, Tyler and his wife, Kimberly, Jessica and her husband, Jordan, Jensen, Melissa-Jo, Samuel and Jonathan; and four great-grandchildren, Kodah, Keeghan, Parker and Devon (who preceded him in death). He is also survived by his brother, John Caires, and his wife, LaVerne; and his sister, Mary Clarke, and her husband, Jack.
Services for Van Caires are being held Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017 at 1 p.m., at Vineyard Community Church, 601 S. Cooper Road, Gilbert, AZ 85233.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley, Dobson Home, 1188 N Dobson Road, Chandler, AZ 85224.
