John Ronald Caldera

1938 - 2021

John Ronald Caldera passed away peacefully at his home in Tuolumne on Jan. 15, 2021. He was 82 years old.
John was born on Dec. 11, 1938, in Concord to parents John and Claire Caldera. He met his wife, Alice Caldera (nee Potteiger) when they were 10 years old in the fifth grade - they were together ever since, were high school sweethearts, and they would be married for 63 years.
The Caldera family moved from Concord to Tuolumne County in 1969. Once here, John became an avid member of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Tuolumne and was a volunteer firefighter for the Tuolumne City Fire Department. John was also a previous member of the Masonic Lodge and the Elks Lodge.
John worked as a heavy equipment operator for decades, and in his retirement, he enjoyed his hobbies of gardening, harvesting his fruit trees, adding to his extensive collection of antiques (particularly pocket watches and guns), working on his classic Model A Ford, and maintaining his farm on Apple Colony Road, which was for years a popular local Christmas tree farm (Deerhaven Farm).
John's other favorite hobbies included rearing livestock (horses, sheep, chickens, and pigs), making wine with his best friend and neighbor Serge Kiriluk, and butchering a pig nearly every year with friends and family. He also loved to drive around Tuolumne on a horse and buggy, especially during Easter.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Alice; his son, Bill Caldera, his wife Sue, their three children, and six great-grandchildren; his daughter, Mary Whitehead, her husband Jerry Jr., their two children, and four great-grandchildren; his daughter, Theresa Hickerson, her husband Barry, their two children, and two great-grandchildren; his daughter, Anna Caldera, her nine children, and their seven great-grandchildren; his son, Tony Caldera, his five children, and three great-grandchildren; his son, Bobby Caldera, his wife Erika, and their two children; and his daughter, Susie Robinson, her husband Kevin, and their two children. He was preceded in death by his son, John Michael Caldera, who passed away in 1977.
He is also survived by his brother Richard Caldera, sisters Susan Caldera and Margaret "Peggy" Stehly, and preceded in death by his brother James "Jimmy" Caldera who passed away in December 2013.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.