Richard Elias Caraboolad, 83, of Simi Valley, passed peacefully on January 16, 2026, at Los Robles Hospital, from congestive heart failure, with his beloved son by his side.

He was born on October 26, 1942, to Elias G. Caraboolad and Alice Assad in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a bright, precocious child who loved to share stories from his childhood.

Richard was “a wild teenager”, as he would say, and he joined the Air Force at 17 and had many adventures and close calls that he entertained us all with. He was deeply proud of his service and profoundly grateful for the opportunities it provided him.

He attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in business management, then Andrews Adventist University to earn his master’s degree in pastoral counseling, and later earned his CPE certification to become a chaplain. Richard had a passion for loving people well, and his presence deeply impacted every space he ever worked in. From preaching to chaplaincy to counseling and rehab, he had a heart to help people, to meet them in the difficult spaces of life, and to offer them the love of Jesus.

He married Yolanda Serrano, and they were blessed with two precious children, Nicolas and Cristina. After a season of pastoring in New York, Yolanda tragically passed away from cancer, and Richard returned to California, the state he loved so much.

In 1989, Richard moved to Simi Valley, married Arla, and gained another daughter (Loxlia). He lived there for the last 36 years, raised a family, and had many adventures, enjoying life with an abundance of amazing friendships. Whether you knew him for 40 years or 5 minutes, he had a way of celebrating people that made time irrelevant. Friendship was, to Richard, one of the finer things in life.

Richard is survived by his wife, Arla Caraboolad, his son Nicolas (Anna) Caraboolad, his daughter Loxlia (Jeremy) Paltz, and his daughter Cristina Caraboolad Griffin. Richard has 9 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild, all of whom he absolutely adored.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Yolanda, and many precious friends and family.

A celebration of life service will be held at The Place Seventh-Day Adventist Church on February 7, 2026, at 1:30 pm, following the church service and a light luncheon. All are welcome. 

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