Adrian VanStaveren

In Loving Memory of
Adrian “Art” Peter VanStaveren
On September 11, 2026, Adrian “Art” Peter VanStaveren peacefully passed away in his sleep at home. While saying goodbye is never easy, there is comfort in knowing that Art left this world peacefully, surrounded by the place he called home.
Art was born on June 7, 1940, in Heemstede, Netherlands, to Betsy Nievaard and Jan VanStaveren. He began his life in Holland surrounded by his parents, brothers, and sisters. At just 14 years old, Art made a journey that would change the course of his life forever. In 1954, he and his family left the Netherlands aboard a ship bound for America. They arrived in New York on October 9, 1954, and then traveled west to Salt Lake City, Utah, where they began a new chapter of their lives.
It was in Salt Lake City that Art met Jean Halliday, the woman who would become the love of his life. They married on November 26, 1963, moved onto Jean’s family property in South Jordan, and together they began building a life with their growing family.
And that was Art—he was a builder.
Art was a hardworking man. He spent his life working with his hands and never seemed afraid of a difficult job. He built homes, started his own business, and even worked clearing asbestos from buildings in Washington, D.C. As the years went by, his hands may have slowed down, but his desire to work never really left him. Even later in life, he could still be found improving the homes he owned, repairing things that needed fixing, or finding a project that needed to be done.
For Art, hard work was more than a way to make a living. It was something he believed in. Art demonstrated and taught the power of tenacity, a lesson that ripples through the family even now. He wanted his children, grandchildren, and older great-grandchildren to understand the value of working hard, doing things right, and never giving up simply because something was difficult.
But behind that hardworking exterior was a man who loved his family more than anything.
Art was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather. His family was his greatest accomplishment and the part of his life that will continue long after he is gone.
He is survived by his children, Holly Spafford, Stephanie (Ed) Cash, Theodore VanStaveren, and Eric VanStaveren.
He leaves behind his grandchildren, Amy (Brandt) Fortin, Elizabeth Tew, Katie (Dustin) Martinez, Elizabeth VanStaveren, Josh (Brittany) VanStaveren, Jordan (KyiaRain) VanStaveren, Erica Cash, and Braxton Cash, and 11 great-grandchildren.
To them, Art was more than a name on a family tree. He was part of their stories. He was part of their childhoods, their memories, and the history of their family. Each generation carries a little piece of him forward—in the lessons he taught, the things he built, the stories they remember, and perhaps even in the way they approach a hard day's work.
Art has now gone home to Jean, the love of his life, as well as his parents, brothers, and sisters who went before him. We imagine there was quite a reunion waiting for him.
There will be sadness in the days ahead. There will be moments when his family reaches for the phone, thinks of something they want to tell him, or remembers that he is no longer just a visit away. There will be things around the house that remind them of him, projects he started, things he repaired, and memories that suddenly bring both a smile and a tear.
But that is the beautiful thing about a life well lived—the person may leave, but the love does not.
Art spent his life building things that would last. He built homes with his hands, but his greatest creation was the family he and Jean built together. The love he gave, the lessons he taught, and the memories he created will continue through his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
He lived 86 years. He traveled a long way from a young boy leaving Holland at 14 years old to the husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather he became. He worked hard. He loved deeply. He provided for his family. He left his mark on the people and places around him.
And now, after a long and happy life, he can finally rest.
Rest peacefully, Art.
You spent a lifetime building, fixing, and making things better. Your greatest work was the family you left behind. We will carry your lessons, your stories, your stubborn determination, and most of all, your love with us.
You are loved.
You are missed.
And you will never be forgotten.
Until we see you again.

Click this link to view additional details about Adrian's Services,
including any available live streams: https://my.gather.app/remember/adrian-vantaveren