John Carol Caswell was born to Rosemary and Chester Caswell on April 6, 1952, in Hollywood California, the youngest of six children. He was predeceased by his sisters Sheila Wortmann and Sharon Toller and his older brother Hugh Caswell. He is survived by older brothers Tom and Charlie, and his life-long companion Gabrielle de Benedictis, and a large, loving extended family. He left this life on October 25 of this year with family gathered around him, embracing him with their love.
John graduated from Blessed Sacrament School in Hollywood in 1964 and from Daniel Murphy High School in 1970. He received an Associate of Arts degree from Los Angeles City College in 1972 and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Medieval Art History from UCLA in 1974. In 1977, he earned a Master of Arts degree in Medieval Art History from U. C. Santa Barbara.
He worked as Associate Registrar at the John Paul Getty Museum (Villa) from 1979 to 1990 and as Registrar at the Lannan Foundation Art Museum from 1990 to 1997. In 2001, he was named Registrar at the acclaimed Crocker Museum in Sacramento where he served until his retirement in 2018.
John loved the outdoors, and many of his happiest moments were spent hiking, camping, and observing the sacred beauties of nature. He was an avid and accomplished birder, a scholar, a gifted artist, and a fine musician. He was a man who placed the needs of others ahead of his own needs, and his wry sense of humor never failed him, even during his brief, terrible struggle with pancreatic cancer.
He was a man among men, kind, gentle, generous, loving, and wickedly funny.
A Celebration of Life will be held for John on Wednesday, November 9 at 11:00 a.m. at The La Cañada Thursday Club, 4440 Woodleigh Drive, La Cañada 91011.
If you wish to make a contribution in John’s memory, please consider two of his passions: The California Trout Organization and the California Raptor Center at U.C. Davis.
