01/19/1999
Funeral services for John C. Coster, 73, of New Sharon, who died January 19, 1999, at the Grinnell Regional Medical Center, were held January 22, at the New Sharon Assembly of God, with Phil DeBoef officiating. Burial was at Friends Cemetery in New Sharon.
John was born March 25, 1925, in Knoxville, the son of Cornelius John and Maude Blackman Coster. He was raised in Knoxville and graduated in 1944 from Knoxville High School. He began farming with his father near Knoxville in an area that is now covered by Lake Red Rock until he joined the U.S. Army and served stateside during the Korean War.
He was united in marriage to Eleanor Felsing on March 27, 1954, in Laurens. The couple built a home near New Sharon, where they lived for
over 40 years. He was a member of the Deep River Church of the Nazarene. He was preceded in death by his parents; and three sons, Neal Eugene, Paul Jacob, and Cornelius John Coster.
He is survived by his wife of New Sharon; three sons, David of Grinnell, Jonathan of Fremont, and Joe of Ankeny; seven daughters, Angela Beyer
of Oskaloosa, Mary Ann McNeill of Fremont, Nancy Baker of Olathe, Kan., Kathy Coster of Des Moines, Julie Kabrich of Yakima, Wash., Sandy Petersen of Indianola, and Ev Coster of Rock Creek; a sister, Marybelle Crosby of Fremont; 20 grandchildren, and one step-grandchild.
A memorial fund has been established in his name.
Arrangements were made by Harden Funeral Home in New Sharon.