Caetano, town’s longest-serving mayor, passed away at age 87
Leonard Caetano: 1924-2011
Caetano, town’s longest-serving mayor, passed away at age 87
Leonard Caetano, the longest-tenured mayor in his beloved hometown’s history, and the man called “Mr. San Juan” by many who knew him, passed away Dec. 30 at the age of 87.
Born and raised in San Juan Bautista, Caetano is remembered as much for what he did behind the scenes for his community as for what he did in the public eye – including a record 16 years as mayor.
“Leonard was a role model for so many people, especially myself, as far as the importance of family and service to his community and the church,” said county Supervisor Anthony Botelho, whose family has been close friends with the Caetanos for decades. “He was one of those men that was very honorable and taught his kids to be the same way. He was somebody that valued friendship immensely. We lost a great man.”
In 1992, when budget-strapped San Juan fired its six employees and its two-man police force when it couldn’meet payroll, Caetano arranged for a donation of three tons of blacktop, enough to patch 300 potholes. He even helped patch the holes himself.
“He was Mr. San Juan,” Botelho added. “He ran that town for a long time. What really stands out to me is his service to San Juan and the Mission. He did it out of love in his heart, not for recognition or some other means of gratitude. If something needed to be done, he went out and did it the best he could.”
Botelho pointed out that Caetano’s community spirit extended beyond the city limits of San Juan.
“Leonard was involved with Hwy. 152 improvements (for the widening of Pacheco Pass) and was part of the Measure A Committee to get the Hwy. 25 bypass in,” Botelho said. “He wasn’t strictly San Juan. He was about San Benito County.”
Richard Velasco, who worked for Caetano when Caetano managed the Ideal Cement Plant in town, said his boss recruited him to do some handyman work at his house – a gig that ended up lasting “about 15 or 20 years.”
“He was quite a knowledgeable and very respectful person,” said Velasco, who also helped fix up the houses that Caetano sold when he went into real estate after the cement plant closed in 1973 due to environmental concerns. “He was very clear about what he wanted work-wise and he was also family-oriented.”
Caetano’s political power gave him pull in Sacramento, Velasco said.
“Whenever supervisors Enos Silva and Herman Botelho needed something for the county, they’d come to Leonard to get things done in Sacramento,” he said. “He did his best to control the growth and preserve what San Juan is.”
Beyond his community involvement, which included work with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, leadership with the Fiesta Rodeo and barbecuing duties for countless local events, Caetano helped individuals, Velasco recalled.
“I was honored to work with Leonard all those years,” he said. “He helped me get into the home I’m in now. He helped me get financing for it. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t have a home now.”
Georganna Gularte, the treasurer of the San Juan Bautista Historical Society, said Caetano “devoted his whole life to this town.”
“He was a charter member of the San Juan VFW and you could never imagine anything going on that he wasn’t a part of,” she said, noting that his tenure as president of the historical society helped increase membership because “people were interested in what he was interested in, so we got new members from his influence.”
Caetano’s recollections about San Juan live on in recorded history projects that Anzar High School students did.
The family released a statement about Caetano, saluting their patriarch for his devotion to them and the community.
“The love our father had for his community is reflected in the outpouring of generous support from the many family, friends and citizens in San Benito County,” they said. “We are very proud of our father’s leadership and accomplishments; he could not have done it without the loving support from our mother and the many devoted citizens that worked by his side. The importance of community service will be a lasting legacy to our father.”
Flags were flown at half-mast at San Juan’s City Hall, the library and fire station this week in honor of Caetano, a veteran of World War II, father of seven, grandfather of three and husband to his wife of 56 years, Rosemarie.
Grunnagle-Ament Nelson Funeral Home is hosting a visitation Friday from noon to 5 p.m. before a 7 p.m. rosary at Mission San Juan. A funeral mass will be held at the mission on Saturday at 11 a.m. with graveside services and a burial to follow at the San Juan District Cemetery.
The family asked that donations in Caetano’s honor be made to the Mission San Juan Bautista, the St. Francis Retreat or the San Juan VFW, in care of the funeral home.
