Obituary of John Edgar Veteto

John Edgar Veteto, 76, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 11, 2023. 

He was born on April 20, 1946, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, son of Ed and Jayne Veteto. 

John spent his formative years in Colorado Springs, where the family moved when he was ten. He loved to share stories of four-wheeling with his grandfather, J.O. Veteto, and youthful pranks like the one involving the giant beetle at the May Museum. There was not a mountain pass to traverse, abandoned mine to visit or river to fish in Colorado that John did not explore and have a story to share about his adventures. 

John graduated from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, where he studied architectural engineering and met his wife of 55 years, Jan Cauwels. John and Jan were married August 19, 1967, and moved into the ‘married housing’ on campus. Following graduation, they moved to Colorado Springs, where John joined his father and grandfather in the family business and Jan taught English. 

Over the years, as they welcomed their children, Jonathan, Jennie, and Jared, John became a custom home builder, which led to project management consulting in the field of government contracts. By chance, John found himself part of the leadership team and eventually project manager of the first house First Presbyterian Church built for Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity, and found his way to the new PPHH venture, the ReSTORE. John would say the greatest ‘project’ in which he had ever been involved was as Director of the Habitat ReSTORE. From cajoling his construction industry contacts to donate materials, to hiring employees who needed a second chance, John had a passion for his work with the ReSTORE. He also served as a deacon at First Presbyterian Church and helped lead their Grief Workshop course for several years following the death of his father. 

In his sixties, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which eventually limited his mobility to an electric wheelchair and prevented adventures with his family to much loved Taos, New Mexico and Crested Butte. John loved being a follower of Christ, loved his wife Jan more than he could ever say or write, and his family was the most important thing and second only to his Lord. 

John is survived by his wife, Jan; three children, Jonathan (Mary Clare), Jennifer (Will) Bain, Jared (Anna); four grandchildren, Zoe, Graham, and Phoebe Bain, Rowan Veteto; his mother, Jayne; and siblings, Jayne (Jim) Tomlin, Sarah (Doug) Scherling, Steve (Cris), and numerous nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Ed Veteto.

We want to thank Sunny Vista Living Center and Envision Hospice for the loving care they provided. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of John Veteto may be made to:

Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity
2802 N. Prospect, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

or

Family Life Services 
1880 Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80905

Funeral Service, 10:00AM, Saturday, May 20, 2023, First Presbyterian Church, 219 East Bijou Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80903.