John Roger Decoster / March 19, 1937 – July 29, 2018 / Obituary

John Roger Decoster

March 19, 1937 – July 29, 2018
John Roger DeCoster, 81, Beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, July, 29, 2018, at the Good Shepherd Hospice House after a brief illness with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family.

John was born 3-19-1937 and grew up in Auburn, Maine, the third of four children born to Warren and Eleanor DeCoster. They were a very close knit family and enjoyed life to the fullest. They knew how to play hard, work hard, but most of all love each other. John opened his printing business in 1957 in the town of South Paris.
He and Gloria were married in 1958, and together they ran their business. It was there that they heard about the saving grace of Jesus Christ through a customer who was also a pastor. John and Gloria both gave their lives to Christ in 1959, and have served faithfully in full time Christian ministry ever since.
They joined the Central American Mission (now Camino Global) and moved to Guadalajara, Mexico in 1968.  There, they developed a great love for the Mexican people and completely immersed themselves in the culture.  They did everything from spearheading the start of 3 churches (which are all still active today), to flying literature to indigenous Indians in the remote rugged mountains of Mexico where there were no roads, to even smuggling Bibles and other Christian literature into Cuba and ministering to Christians there!
Dad’s greatest passion was witnessing and spreading the Word of God everywhere he went, at every opportunity, whether by preaching, one on one conversation, or handing out literature.  Even as his life faded, one of his greatest concerns was for souls that are still lost.  There is no doubt in our minds that as he arrived in Heaven, the first words he heard were “Well done, good and faithful servant”.
John was preceded in death by his parents Warren and Eleanor DeCoster as well as his brother Darrel.
He is survived by his brother, Warren Albert “Sonny” DeCoster and wife June of Oxford, Maine, his sister, Linda Morton and husband Richard of Rangeley, Maine, his beautiful bride of 60 years, Gloria Thompson DeCoster, his five children, Bethany and Scott Sanner of Raleigh, NC, John and Susan DeCoster of Van Horn, TX, James and Stella DeCoster of Yukon, OK, Danny and Elizabeth DeCoster of Denver, CO and Debbie and Jason Brewner of Babson Park, FL, as well as 17 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.
Dad loved the Boston Red Sox, Gene Autry, hunting, fishing, beekeeping and playing his guitar.  He is also legendary for his love of corn on the cob (we’re still trying to figure out how he got it on his forehead and behind his ears!) and his Monopoly games, but more importantly, he loved God and his family more than anything.
Funeral service will be held Friday August 3rd, at 5:30 pm, First Baptist Church in Frostproof. 96 W. B Street
Visitation will be 30 minutes before the service begins.
Also, a celebration of life will be held in Maine at East Auburn Baptist Church 560 Park Ave, Auburn, ME 04210
Friday, August 17, 11AM in the sanctuary. Fellowship and snacks to follow.
 In Lieu of Flowers, donations can be made to Camino Global designated to Obrero Fiel in Memory of John DeCoster. 8625 La Prada Drive, Dallas, TX  75228  800-366-2264.