Chesley Ellsworth Juan Sr., 80, passed away on Wednesday August 26, 2026 at the Gila River Indian Community Caring House in Sacaton, AZ. He is survived by his wife Rowena Juan, sister Verna Perez, and son, Chesley Juan Jr, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He was born in Sacaton, AZ on December 09, 1945.
Chesley Juan, Sr. enjoyed singing with the Voices of the Desert, a choir who sings gospel songs translated into the Pima language. In his younger years, he enjoyed running and hunting. He joined the Marine Corps in 1968 after graduating from Coolidge High School. He served in Vietnam as a rifleman and after two years, returned to the Gila River Indian Community where he spent most of his life working in public safety. He worked several years as a corrections officer at Florence state prison and served as a bailiff at the Gila River Community Courts toward the end of his career. He celebrated 63 years of sobriety in June of this year. He will be greatly missed.
