John Francis Cavalier

John F. Cavalier, affectionately known as Big John, passed away peacefully on the night of May 4, 2025. His wife of 59 years, Pam, was by his side. He had spent the day with his beloved grandchildren at a family lunch. John was born January 28, 1944, to John R. and Eleanor Cavalier in Corning, NY. His family moved to Arizona for his younger brother's health in 1950. He attended many grade schools in Phoenix; St. Gregory's, Sts. Simon and Jude, Clarendon, Maryland and Orangewood, before his family settled in north (at the time) Phoenix. John played sports as soon as he could hold a bat or a football in grade school and beyond. He attended Washington High School and was a four-year letterman in football, track and wrestling winning numerous state awards. He went to Phoenix College on a football scholarship and played for coaches Shanty Hogan and Pug Marich on their National Junior College Championship team in 1964. He was a teammate to Freddy Carr, who went on to play with the Green Bay Packers, Bobby Wallace, who went on to play with the Chicago Bears, Joe "Bull" Collins, Chicago Bears, ASU star end Steve Timerac; and PC's record-setting QB Craig Liston. The championship team members that are still with us keep in touch with one another thanks to the efforts of Craig Liston, ever the quarterback. John was scouted by the Los Angeles Rams, the Detroit Lions and the Calgary Roughriders, but due to a career ending injury, and upon the advice of his doctors, his football days were over. He never stopped loving football and followed his high school buddy, Larry Hendershot, who played for the Washington Redskins. The Redskins were his favorite team. He married his high-school sweetheart, Pam Mitchell, in 1965 and they started their married journey-football injuries, rehab, disappointments and all. In the next nine years, they had two children, daughter Cori and son Nicholas "Nick" Cavalier. They worked and raised their family mostly in Bellair, north Phoenix, moving there from Saddleback Meadows "out in the desert." Later on, they moved out to Desert Hills, fulfilling their dream of living on horse property again. They retired to Westbrook Village in North Peoria in 2015. To make a living, he turned to his second love which was construction. John owned Cavalier Masonry for 30 years and then Cavalier Construction general contacting for another 25 years, with the whole family being involved in the companies. Some of his more memorable jobs were a house remodel for Clare Boothe Luce at the Biltmore and giving Louise McCall, wife of NASA space artist Bob McCall and an artist in her own right, the new kitchen and sitting area of her dreams in Paradise Valley. He worked on the Phoenix Convention Center and did a multi-story remodel of the AHCCS building in downtown Phoenix, to name just a few. When his children were in grade school, he worked closely with Wray Construction doing pro bono work for local grade schools, putting in lights for the baseball fields in the Deer Valley School District and then working with his son to make improvements to the FFA fields and pens at Deer Valley High School. He worked hard and his employees worked hard for him and all flourished. In his younger years, he and Pam loved to water ski behind their Caribbean inboard boat, being out on Lake Pleasant on weekends and after work on Wednesday afternoons. Later on, John's passion turned to golf, and he played with his "construction buddies" whenever he could. He ran into Senator John McCain on the course at the Biltmore one day and they exchanged pleasantries and found they had more in common than not. John was always up for 18/24 holes of golf, a wager on the score and a cold beer afterward. He also loved hunting, fishing, camping and riding dirt bikes with his family mostly out of Munds Park, Payson and Lake Havasu area. His children have seen more of Arizona than most people do in their lifetime. He and Pam owned racehorses individually and with different owners. They raced at Turf Paradise, Santa Anita, the California State Fair in Sacramento and Prescott Downs. They made it to the winners' circle 16 times under the guidance of their trainer (and high school buddy) Bradley Rollins and trainer/friend Ron Chappell. Horse racing was a love of John's from the time he was a teenager, and he felt so privileged to be able to live out the dream of owning winning horses. He and his father, John, spent many days at the track in racing season watching his horses and of course betting on "winners", always. His son, Nick and daughter Cori loved the track as well, and being with their dad and grandfather. John was preceded in death by his parents, John and Eleanor Cavalier, brother Ed Cavalier, sister-in-law Lavon Cavalier; his in-laws Harry and Nita Mitchell; New York/Arizona cousins Donald and Rich Zuzero; grandson Luke Cavalier, nephew Donald Hageman Jr., brother-in-law Roger Mitchell, and brother-in-law Big Don Hageman, his partner in all things "large." Also, his dogs Pepper, Tuffy, Honey Bear, Bella and Annie Girl. John is survived by his wife, Pam; his daughter Cori and her husband Chris, their children and his grandchildren Mitchell and Alicia; his son Nick and wife Stacey, their children and his grandchildren Emma, Rocco, Hanna, Cassidy and Annalise; his nephew Vince Cavalier and his wife Summer, their children and his great nephew and great niece Maxwell and Amelia; sisters-in-law Ellen Vanta, Irene Hageman, Maxine Mitchell, Joy Mitchell and Theresa Mitchell; brothers-in-law Harry Mitchell and Mike Vanta and many, many nieces, great nieces, nephews and great nephews and great, great nephews and great, great nieces. Respecting John's wishes, there will be no formal service. The family will gather for a private inurnment. His ashes will also be released in the woods overlooking Munds Park where he had a summer home; and the winner's circle at the track. John was not only a large man but larger in real life. He tried to instill qualities of hard work and persistence. He felt that he succeeded in that endeavor as his children made him very proud of their successes as business people, parents and kind human beings. His favorite charities were Make a Wish Foundation, Phoenix AZ; and Arizona Outdoor Adventures, in care of Dan Priest who works so hard at making it possible for underprivileged children to get outdoors and learn camping and fishing. Please donate in his name, if you are so inclined. The family would like to thank Sharla, Don, Christine and Angie of Vital Hospice for their guidance of the family and care of John. Here's to Big John, saluti', to a man who did it his way, always, lifting a glass of Jim Beam, with a splash. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John, please visit our floral store.